


Until You Come Back Home

by lovelyriots



Series: I Don't Want to Live Forever [2]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Captivity, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Love, Separations, Soul Bond, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:14:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 31
Words: 50,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyriots/pseuds/lovelyriots
Summary: Persephone is being held against her will, her powers weakened by being separated from Hades with whom she shares a soul bond. Magic and Olympus politics are preventing Hades from getting to Persephone. He's enlisting the help of others to bring Persephone home.This is Part II of the "I Don't Want To Live Forever" Series.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: I Don't Want to Live Forever [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570855
Comments: 201
Kudos: 605





	1. Chapter 1

Apollo shut the door behind him, finally letting go of Persephone's arm as he shoved her to her bed. The spring goddess yelped in pain as she hit the pillow. Though she was feeling horribly dizzy from being separated from Hades. She was kicking herself for not insisting on a quickie in the car before she came inside. The after effects of sex with her soul bonded partner would really come in handy right now, and the longer she was away from him, the weaker she felt. 

Still, her anger flashed in her glowing red eyes as she stared up at Apollo looming over her. "If you fucking touch me I'll scream so loud Cerberus will come running." 

Apollo put his hands in the air in mock surrender. "Jeez, Persie, I'm not some kind of villain." 

"Could've fooled me," she spat. 

"I'm worried about you. We're all worried about you," Apollo said, cautiously sitting on the edge of her bed as Persephone slid as far away from him as possible. "You haven't been around as long. You don't know who you can trust and who you can't. It's not your fault. But trust me, Hades is bad news." 

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Says the rapist who doesn't know what the word 'no' means." 

"Stop saying I'm a rapist!" Apollo's nostrils flared. "I did not rape you. Hades just fucked with your brain so you don't know the truth." 

"Whatever makes you feel better," Persephone scoffed, turning away from him. "But last I checked, forcing yourself on someone while refusing to take no for an answer is pretty rapey." 

Apollo stood, fuming. "Whatever, you stupid bitch! If you aren't going to be grateful than I'm just going to leave you here alone." 

"Oh no, what ever will I do," Persephone said flatly. 

Apollo rushed toward Persephone, towering over her and positioning his face inches from hers. She flinched beneath him, a fleck of fear entering her gaze. Apollo smiled smugly and winked at her. 

"Just messing with you," he said as he tossled her hair. "I'll come back to see you in a little bit. Maybe with some time you'll cool down and come to your senses." 

The sun god jaunted away and out her the bedroom door, shutting it behind him. 

After a moment, Persephone jumped up, stopping to steady herself before she rushed to the window. She tried to force it open, but it was no use; Apollo had magically sealed the escape earlier. She buried her face in her hands and flopped back onto the bed. 

"Oh, Aidoneus, I'm sorry I didn't listen to your instincts," she mumbled between tears. "I really need you right now." 

Then she remembered his card; two taps to the ground to summon him. Would it work? She eagerly leaped to the floor, hitting the ground twice. She waited for a moment, hoping to see her lover appear. Her hopes were answered by silence. She sank back to the floor, wishing she could melt into it. 

_____________________________________________

Hades drove recklessly fast toward Zeus and Hera's place. He'd texted Zeus telling him there was an emergency, and when he arrived at the house, he didn't bother to knock. Hera and Zeus were waiting for him. 

"What's the emergency? Where's Persephone?" Hera asked. 

"Hestia's holding her hostage," Hades growled. 

"Wh-what?" Zeus pulled at his collar. 

Hades explained to them the entire situation; how Hestia had confronted him, accused him of casting a dark spell on Persephone to make her believe she loved him, and that she'd protected the apartment with magic that kept him out--and kept Persephone in. 

"So, you can just go over there and get her out, right?" Hades said to Zeus. 

"I-I don't know," Zeus hesitated. 

"What the hell? You're supposed to be the king of these assholes! Why can't you just make them listen to you?" Hades yelled. 

"There are things to consider here, brother," Zeus said. "I know you care for Persephone, but do you really want to go to war over this? If I make a stand, it will certainly cause a schism in the Parthenon." 

Hades let out an incredulous laugh. "You have to be fucking kidding me," he said, raking a hand through his hair. "Come on, Hera, you'll help me, right?" 

Hera bit her lip. "You know I want to Hades, but my husband isn't wrong. We just--we need to take some time to think about this. Come up with a plan."

"A plan?!? While you're sitting here planning, Kore is hurting! You know the effects of the soul bond. It's taking a toll on me right now; imagine what it's doing to her!" he cried. "You're just going to let her sit there thinking the worst while you sit around and try to figure out how to not offend anyone? Fuck that." 

Zeus furrowed his brow. "Careful, Hades. I'm still in charge here." 

"I wish you would fucking act like it," Hades shouted. 

Hera put a hand on his shoulder. "Hades, I say this with love: Go home. Take a breath. We will get Persephone out, I promise you. But we need to do it the right way." 

Hades rolled his arm away from her to escape her touch. "Fine. If you won't help me, I'll find someone who will." He turned to go. 

"Do not push me, Hades!" Zeus yelled after him. "If you start a war, I won't hesitate to smack you down." 

"Understood," Hades growled without looking back. "I won't hesitate, either." 


	2. Chapter 2

"Hecate." 

The goddess had been sitting at her desk, back to the door, as she tried to get some work done. The voice of her boss and friend roused her from her research, an unwelcome intrusion, though she'd grown to expect that of Hades, especially now with his and Persephone's current predicament. She turned to face him, letting her annoyance show on her face. She was surprised to see him alone, but assumed Persephone couldn't be too far behind. 

"Where's your better half?" she asked sardonically. 

The stoic king's face broke, his lip trembling and giving away a pain he was trying to conceal. "That's why I'm here." 

His demeanor changed Hecate's. She sat up straight, concern filling her gaze as she scanned his frame. "What's wrong, Hades?" 

She listened at rapt attention as he detailed what happened earlier at Artemis's place, and Zeus and Hera's refusal to help him. She gently rubbed his arm as he tearfully recounted the ordeal, barely able to utter half the words to his story. She could tell the magic of the soul bond was causing him more pain than he wanted to let on, and being separated from Persephone for half a day had already began to take its toll. 

"We need to get her back, Hecate," he said. "And I don't care if it starts a war. Maybe that's foolish. But as far as I'm concerned, the moment they imprisoned her, they declared war themselves." 

"Hades, I understand your feeling, but without Zeus on our side unequivocally, this gets tricky," Hecate said. 

Hades sighed. "So you aren't willing to help me either." 

"I didn't say that!" Hecate said. "I just mean, Hera wasn't wrong about needing a plan. If Hestia suspects magic at play in this situation, she may suspect me as your accomplice in whatever imagined crime she's cooked up in her head. Ergo, I can't just waltz up to Artemis's place and ask to see Persephone. And if you and I go in, guns blazing, I'm sorry, my friend, but that's not going to go over well either. Think of the scandal. Even if in your weakened state--don't argue with me, you're suffering from the side effects of the soul bond distance, I know how it works--we're able to fight the others and free Persephone, the tabloids will run rampant with stories about how the king of the underworld is unhinged, has kidnapped the spring goddess, et cetera. Demeter will definitely find out, and I don't think she's going to be on our side. And if Zeus is already hesitant to support the cause, you better believe that once all that goes down, he's going to publicly condemn you, brother or not." 

Hades turned away from her, his cheeks hot with anger, though he knew everything she said was true. His reputation was never an easy burden to bear, but he had always worked around it. Staying in his own domain generally kept the gossip away, and fear kept most from approaching him. It seemed at every turn, him being who he was created difficulty for Persephone. 

"It's my fault she's in this situation," Hades said quietly, not making eye contact with Hecate. "I need to get her out of it. She doesn't deserve this." 

"Hey," Hecate said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "You did nothing wrong here. You're allowed to be in love, Hades. And you're more than deserving of having someone return that love. We'll get her back. We just need a few more allies. Anyone else you can think of who may be able to help?" 

Hades pondered for a moment. "Well, Persephone is rather fond of Eros." 

_________________________________________

Persephone stared at the wall. Three days had gone by since Apollo first forced her into her room, caging her in a prison of his making. 

Hestia hadn't left the apartment. She kept saying she needed to keep an eye on Kore since she was 'unwell.' That was the story they were going with, spreading the word that Kore had come down with an intense illness. That she was hurting but would recover. She just needed time. 

Time. 

So much time. 

With every passing second, Persephone felt she was descending into madness. Her aching for Hades grew more intense the longer she felt his absence. Having Hestia as a watchdog made everything harder. She wasn't able to contact anyone. Phone privileges were the first thing to go. Still, having Hestia always watching had one benefit. Apollo wouldn't try anything while she was around. 

Persephone hadn't spoken since day two. Artemis was avoiding her, only coming in her room to drop off food and leave. And knowing nothing she said would improve her situation, Persephone stayed silent, the only company she'd willingly entertain being the Hades in her mind. 

She closed her eyes and listened to his voice, a hint of heartbreak in it as he whispered her name. 

"Kore...Kore...Kore..." 

_Please come for me, Aidoneus. I need you._

"I'm trying, sweetness," he'd promise her. "I'll be there as soon as I can." 

She believed him, even if he was a figment of her imagination. She knew him. She knew that there must be something keeping him out, just as there was something keeping her in. He just needed time. 

Time. 

So. much. time. 


	3. Chapter 3

Eros stirred a bowl of pancake batter frantically while trying to soothe his siblings, who were having a meltdown after Storge accused Philia of stealing and hiding his hamster. He almost missed the buzz of his phone from the counter. 

"Calm down, Storge, I'm sure we'll find him," Eros shouted through the chaos. "Everyone, QUIET DOWN." 

Eros sighed as he spied the light of his phone screen out of the corner of his eye. He set down the bowl, trading it for the phone and walked into the other room. 

"This is Eros," he answered, a hint of annoyance in his voice. 

"Hi Eros, it's Hecate," he heard over the line. "We could use your assistance in the Underworld today. Are you available to stop by Hades' place?" 

Eros eyed the other room, watching as Philia jumped up on the table to taunt Storge from a new angle. "What's this about? I'm kind of in the middle of something." 

A new voice came over the line. "Eros, it's Hades. Persephone is in trouble and we need your help. I can explain when you get here." 

"Give me twenty minutes," Eros said. 

He ended the call and walked into the other room. "You little brats are going to have to be on your best behavior for Ampelus while I'm out." 

_________________________________________

Hades handed the phone back to Hecate, pacing through his home office. 

"Eros is on his way," he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. 

"Do you think he can get us to Persephone?" she asked. 

"I think he's our best shot," Hades replied. "Who else can we call on?" 

Hecate looked down. "Well, if you were serious about invoking war, there's always..."

"No. Uh-uh," Hades shut it down. 

"Come on, Hades, we're not in a place to be picky about allies," Hecate said. 

"I'm not calling my nephew," Hades said. "Not yet. He's a hot head. And I don't need to get in the middle of Zeus's nuclear family drama." 

Hecate eyed him curiously. "Seems a bit foolish to rule him out completely for just that. Maybe we need a hot head right now. As I recall, you were a bit of a hot head when you came and asked me for help not too long ago." 

Hades turned away, trying to hide the color flushing his cheeks. There were reasons he didn't want to involve Ares. When he encountered his nephew teasing Persephone back at Underworld Corp., the two seemed a little too...close. And there was the matter of his messing with poor Kore's head. 

"I don't trust him after the stunt he pulled with Kore back on open forum day," Hades finally replied, choosing to leave out the other reason for his concern. "He's too loose of a cannon. If we get to the point where we have no other choice, fine, but I want to try this...diplomatically, first." 

"I didn't take you for the jealous type, Hades," Hecate grinned. "But fine, I'll hold off for now. In the meantime, let's talk potion. If we can't get Persephone out, we can at least work to limit her side effects so she can get her strength back. I'm sure we could get Eros to smuggle in something for her and help her regain her strength." 

"B-but you said the brew time is three months," Hades said. 

"Yup." 

"So you think she's going to be there in pain for three months?" he said, struggling to force back tears. 

Hecate put a hand on his shoulder. "Boss, it's not an ideal scenario, but we need to have a back up plan, right?" 

"We don't even have a main plan yet." 

Hecate sighed, dropping her hand. "Hades, you're not being realistic. You don't want to call in our stronger allies. You don't want to sit and wait. What the hell do you want?" 

"I just," he buried his hands in his face. "I just want to be better for her. I want to be able to help her. It's killing me that I can't. She's been trying to summon me, Hecate. The past three days. I feel it. I feel her calling to me. And I can't do anything. I can't be there for her. I'm failing her." 

"Hades, are we going to have this meltdown every day?" Hecate said quietly. 

Hades looked back at her, his mouth agape. "Excuse me?" 

She smiled sympathetically. "Look, H, I get it. This is tough. No, it's beyond tough. It's batshit crazytown and a scenario that could only happen to you, my unlucky friend. But this 'wallow in self-loathing and pity move is not going to do anything for you, and it's certainly not helping Persephone. You keep going back and forth between angry and sad and angsty--and it's not to say that you don't deserve to feel those emotions--but at some point, you need to stop being mopey and start being smart. You're five times as intelligent as any god on Olympus. Even with the drain you're feeling right now, you're still more powerful than them. The odds are stacked against us, but you know what? Fuck the odds. You're Hades! You're a king! You're my badass friend who's made it through so much shit and still finds it in him to keep fighting the good fight and being a good person. So I'm sorry, I really am, but you need to find that take no prisoners side of you and use your cunning intellect to take down those motherfuckers and bring our girl home." 

"So tough love Hecate is back, huh?" 

"Yeah. You okay with that?" 

Hades gave her a quick, sorrowful smile. "Don't suppose I have much of a choice, do I?" 

"Nope." 

He grabbed the bag of Minthe's hair from the desk and handed it to her. "Well, here's one ingredient. Where are we on the rest?" 

Hecate took the bag and tucked it away into her briefcase. "I've almost got all of the harder to procure plant ingredients. I just have to make one more trip to the mortal realm, which I'll do tonight. That just leaves both of your blood and your item of great personal sacrifice." 

"I don't even know where to begin with that," Hades said, putting a finger under his chin. "And how will we get Persephone's contributions." 

"That's where Eros comes in," Hecate said. 

A new voice interrupted their conversation. "Where do I come in? Also how cool was it that I got to make that entrance?" 

"Eros?! How did you get in?" Hades said, turning to face the god in the doorway. 

Eros shrugged. "You probably shouldn't leave your front door unlocked. Also, Persephone told Cerberus to be nice to me, so we're buds now." 

Hades grumbled beneath his breath, "Lousy guard dog." 

"So do you two care to stop being cryptic and tell me what the hell is going on with Perse?"

_______________________________________________________

The door to Persephone's bedroom creaked open. She didn't bother to turn to see which of her three captors had breached her chamber of solitude. Her focus stayed on the water stain on wall in front of her, which she swore resembled an orchid in early bloom. 

"Persephone?" a timid voice called from behind her. "Perse? It's...it's Artemis." 

Though the voice was a bit of a surprise to Persephone, she continued to ignore it. 

"Persephone, I'm sorry. I didn't think... _this_ would happen." 

The spring goddess's gaze narrowed in on the floral shaped wall splotch as footsteps grew closer to her. She felt Artemis sit beside her but still refrained from turning her head. 

"I just want to help you, Persephone," Artemis said quietly. 

Finally, Persephone broke her trance on the wall to turn sharply to Artemis. "I wish you all would stop saying that. How in the world do you think you're helping me by holding me hostage?" 

"You don't get it," Artemis said. "It's not your fault that you don't; you're under a dark spell. We're just trying to break it so you can get back to life as normal." 

"Why can't life as normal be me happily married to the man I love, Artemis?" Persephone spat. "I know that's not the path you chose, and I respect your decision. Why can't you respect mine?" 

"Because it's not yours!" 

"Says who?!? Hestia? Apollo? Last I checked, they aren't me. What proof do you have--beside your insane _RAPIST_ brother's word--that Hades is guilty of anything?" 

"Stop calling Apollo a rapist! Hades made you think that he is!" 

"Why would he--"

"BECAUSE IT'S MY BROTHER, PERSEPHONE," Artemis shouted. "He's my brother, okay! We grew up together. I--I know he can be difficult sometimes, but he's family. I-if what you're saying is true...I..." 

Tears filled Artemis's eyes as a sob swallowed the rest of her words. Persephone sat in silence, doing nothing to comfort her former friend while she calmed herself. After regaining her composure, Artemis took a breath and continued.   
  


"I don't want to believe that you're a liar," she said. "But I can't believe my brother's a villain." 

"You seem ready to paint Hades as one, and you don't even know him," Persephone shot back. "Everything you've ever said about him is in comparison to his brothers. But have you ever spent time with him? Have you ever spent time in the Underworld." 

Artemis tried to hide the disdain from her face. "I-I just know okay. He's not a good dude." 

"You're just prejudice based on stories you've heard from your--and I do not say this to hurt you, I say it because it's true--RAPIST brother. I don't understand why you will believe gossip from strangers about Hades but you won't believe it when your friend tells you she was victimized. So much for Artemis being a champion of women." 

Artemis stood, trying to hide her anger. "Don't call me prejudice, Persephone. I do care about you. How can I prove that to you?" 

"Believe me? Let me out of here?" she suggested. 

"You know Hestia wouldn't allow that," Artemis said. 

"Can you at least let me have my phone then?" Persephone said. "Can you let me call Hades and tell him what's happened? I'm sure he's trying to get to me. I don't know what you've done to keep him away, but I know he wouldn't...he wouldn't let this happen. Not without a good reason." 

"Maybe he's not as good of a guy as you think he is," Artemis said coldly, walking to the door. "I'm sorry to have upset you, Persephone. I'll see you later when I drop off your dinner. I hope you get better soon." 

Persephone turned after her. "Artemis, wait!" 

The door slammed in her face. Persephone moved toward it before hearing a lock click from the other side. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *the beginning of this chapter could be triggering for some readers*

Hades sunk deeper into Persephone as she wrapped her legs around him, desperately pulling his body against hers to feel him on every inch of her. Her breasts pressed against his chest, heaving with pleasure as she gasped for air against his neck. 

"Aidoneus, don't stop," she moaned as his rhythm increased. "I need you." 

The pressure of his body on hers slowly disappeared, causing Persephone to open her eyes. Now she was alone, her body barred to the empty, windowless room with one faraway door. She reached for a blanket and wrapped it around her body, cautiously making her way to the door. She tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge. 

"Sorry, Persie, but you're not getting away from me that easy," a voice taunted from behind her. 

She spun around to see Apollo's body cast in shadow, his eyes glowing yellow. 

"Stay away from me," Persephone, cautioned, clinging tighter to the blanket around her. "Hades will be here soon. He's coming for me." 

"No one's coming for you," Apollo said, walking calmly toward her. "Just me. Remember, Persie, you're _my_ girl." 

She tried to back away from him but hit a wall. "Y-you're wrong. He was just here." 

"It's only been you and me, Kore," Apollo murmured as he took another step, looming over her. He touched her cheek. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself." 

"No!" she shrieked, throwing his hand away from her and losing her grip on the fabric covering her body. She scrambled to the ground to pick it up, but Apollo stopped her, pulling her up. 

"Don't be so shy, it's nothing I haven't seen before," Apollo chuckled. 

"Stop it!" Persephone cried, punching his chest. 

"Kore," Apollo warned. 

"No!" she shouted between tears, punching him harder. "No! You don't get to call me that!" 

"I don't get to call my wife by her pet name?" 

"I'm not your wife! Fuck you!" 

"Well, that is your job," he pushed her backwards, so she fell onto a bed. 

Her screams of protest didn't deter him from drawing closer. 

______________________________

"No!" Persephone bolted upright, beads of sweat dripping from her brow. Her hands darted to her body, and relief filled her as she felt her pajamas still separating he skin from the air around her. She turned her head to sweep the room for intruders, but her hair got in the way of her view. She ran a hand through her tresses that she was just noticing had filled the room as it grew during her nightmare. 

"Great," she huffed, gathering up its length. "Do I even have anything to take care of this?" 

Carrying a bundle of hair in her arms, she walked over to her desk and searched for something sharp. 

_Of course it would be too convenient for me to have a pair of scissors._

She rifled through the desk before her fingers grazed over a broken piece of glass. She recoiled as she cut open her finger, sticking it in her mouth to suck on the blood. A soft smile came to her face as she remembered how she got it--breaking free from her mother's oppression when she tried to keep her from coming to Olympus. It was the first time she'd realized her power, even if she had...accidentally destroyed a greenhouse in her rage. The glass was a symbol of her independence. 

Her strength. 

Her control. 

She reached back into the drawer, carefully this time, and took the glass into her hand. Using the jagged edge, she began cutting away at sections of her hair that fell to the floor as petals as the glass sliced through. 

_You are in control, Persephone. And you're going to get out of here._

____________________________________

"So you want me to be like a spy or something?" Eros asked as he folded his arms across his chest. "What makes you think I'm even going to get across the threshold to the apartment in the first place? Maybe I should call my dad to help us strong-arm our way--" 

"No!" Hades said, a little too loudly, earning a curious look from Eros. He adjusted his tie. "No, sorry, Eros, but I don't want to use force until we have no options left. Your dad is a good ally, but I don't want to employ him until we have to." 

"Down, tiger," Hecate said, knowingly mouthing "he's a little jealous" to Eros before continuing. "You know Artemis better than either one of us, but Persephone has always considered her a friend. We're hoping to play on that bid of friendship and counting that some semblance of conscience breaks through so she'll show a bit of kindness to our girl. Hades and I are obviously not going to get an invitation to the party, but we thought because of your relationship with Artemis, you might be able to--" 

"Artemis and I aren't that close," Eros said. "She's tolerated me because of Perse. I don't know that I'm the first person she'd turn to in this situation, especially if Apollo and Hestia are planting other ideas in her head." 

Hades sighed. "Well, we have to try, don't we?" 

"Fine, fine. But how do I approach this? 'Hey Artemis, heard you're keeping Perse prisoner here against her will! Wanna do brunch?'" Eros scoffed. 

Hades frowned before opening his mouth to speak, but Hecate cut him off. "Why don't you take some time to think on it? Call me tomorrow and we'll talk it through more." 

"Hecate, are you kidding we don't have time!" Hades shouted, waving his hands frantically. 

"What did I say about trying without a plan?" Hecate responded. 

"No, no. Hades is right. I don't want to leave it sit," Eros said, much to the shock of the god and goddess in front of him. "I'm pretty good at winging it. I'll just--show up." 

"You'll--what?" Hecate blinked. 

"I'll go to the apartment and be my charming self, catch them off guard," Eros said. "They're counting on Persephone's relative level of anonymity to keep them from facing consequences. So let's be the consequences." 

Hades pulled Eros in for a hug, tears in the corners of his eyes. "Thank you." 

_____________________________________________

A knock at the door roused Hestia from her typing, but only briefly. "Artemis, could you get that?" she called sweetly as she finished the first paragraph in the next chapter of the self help book she was working on. "I ordered some takeout for us for dinner since I know cooking isn't your strong suit and I'm busy working today." 

Artemis flicked off the TV and grumbled to herself as she walked to the door. Surprise flooded her face as she saw Eros standing on the other side. "E-Eros? What are you--?" 

Hestia's attention was pulled from her work. She rose quickly to join Artemis at the door. "Eros, what a lovely surprise! So good to see you. How is your mother?" 

"Ma's fine," Eros said, matching Hestia's sickeningly sweet tone. "It's great to see you both, too, but I was hoping to visit Persephone." 

"Oh, no, no, no, my dear, I'm sorry, but Persephone is currently unwell," Hestia said. 

"I know; that's why I'm here," Eros said, leaning against the door frame. "I couldn't let my bestie just wither away in bed thinking that no one was thinking about her. I brought soup!" He held up a covered dish. 

"That's very thoughtful of you, dear, but she may be contagious and we wouldn't want you to catch something," Hestia countered, moving to close the door. "We'll let you know when she's feeling better!" 

"You two have been here with her for days and you both look fine; I'm sure I'll be okay," Eros said. "Besides, we're all gods here, right? It's not like I'm gonna die or something, right?" 

"Well, uh, that's," Hestia stumbled, trying to think of another reason to turn him away. "Artemis, dear, didn't you say you just checked on our Kore and she was sleeping? We wouldn't want to wake her." 

"That's right," Artemis nodded in agreement. "She's asleep. She needs her rest." 

Eros brought one hand to his mouth, cupping it at the corner of his lips to direct the volume of his voice into the apartment. "PERSEPHONE! IT'S EROS! ARE YOU AWAKE?" he shouted. 

Hestia's skin burned red. "Now, dear, that's quite rude--" 

"Eros?!" the muffled sound of Persephone's shouts rang through the apartment. "Eros, I'm awake! I want to see you!" 

Eros shrugged. "Sounds like she's awake to me and ready for visitors." 

Hestia smiled thinly. "So it seems," she said through gritted teeth. "Artemis, dear, would you accompany Eros to Kore's room for a brief visit? I must insist no more than five minutes; her illness is very stressful and it's making her say some things that we can't make heads or tails of. We don't want to add additional stress." 

"Sure thing, Hestia," Eros smiled widely, finally stepping into the apartment. "Persephone's _so_ lucky to have you taking care of her." 


	5. Chapter 5

The door swung open, Eros crossing the threshold into the room with gusto.

"I have soup!" he proclaimed, one arm flung out to the side as the other held the bowl.

Persephone ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oh Eros, it's so good to see you!" 

"Funny, you don't seem sick," Eros mused, returning the hug with one arm and side-eyeing Artemis, who was following close behind. 

Hestia pushed past Artemis and stepped forward to separate Eros and Persephone. "She gets bursts of energy. We're hoping it means she'll be better soon. Right, Kore?" 

"Uh-huh," Persephone mumbled. "Eros, come sit with me." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit next to her on the bed. 

"Kore, it's not proper to have a man sit on your bed," Hestia cautioned. 

"I have two chaperones, and I'm allegedly deathly ill, what's going to happen?" she scoffed, quickly adding an apology when she saw Hestia's pointed glare. 

"I'm not here to bug you too much, Perse, I just missed my best friend!" Eros said, handing the bowl to Persephone. He made sure to move her hand to the bottom of the dish, where her fingers grazed over a piece of paper taped to the dish. "Hera swears by this stuff." 

Persephone coughed as she quickly removed the taped message and moved the hand holding it to her side, avoiding Hestia's suspicion just barely. "It's perfect, thank you," she smiled. 

"Kore, let me take that for you and put it in the kitchen. We'll get it heated up and prepared for your dinner," Hestia said, grabbing the bowl from her. "Once I'm back, it's time for you to go, Eros. We don't want to wear Persephone out. Artemis, keep them company." 

Hestia exited swiftly, not giving Artemis time to respond to her orders. A grumpy Artemis sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. 

"How is everyone?" Persephone asked. "I feel like I haven't spoken to anyone in ages." 

"Well, I'm not sure how much crossover our circles have, but all our mutuals miss you terribly," Eros said cautiously. "Some are so dramatic. You can tell we're all missing your light in our lives." 

"Who are you talking about?" Artemis said. 

"Um, excuse me, was this conversation about you?" Eros rolled his eyes. "Persephone has made quite an impression on my family, if that's any of your business. If you forgot, my grandparents are kind of a big deal, even if they don't like me to talk about it. Plus Perse and my dad apparently know each other from before, which I've just learned." 

"What?" Persephone and Artemis said at the same time. 

"Ares," Eros smiled. "He told me you two are acquainted." 

"Oh my god!" Persephone yelled. 

Eros grinned. "I know there's a story there. Details." 

"I'm afraid it will have to wait for another time," Hestia said from the doorway. "Eros, it was very kind of you to visit. Thank you dropping off the soup. But I think this has been enough excitement for one day, and I'm going to have to insist you go now." 

"Can he come back and visit again?" Persephone asked, desperately clinging to his arm. 

"We'll see, dear," Hestia says. "It depends on how your recovery goes." 

Eros stood and waved wistfully at Persephone on his way out. "We'll see each other again soon, I'm sure."

_________________________________________________

Hestia sighed as she sank back onto the couch, beckoning Artemis to come sit with her. 

"We need to have Apollo keep a stronger perimeter to avoid that happening again," Hestia said. "I know he's got his work, but maybe he can make some exceptions to be around more often." 

"Don't you think we're being a little...harsh?" Artemis said. "I think Perse feels like a prisoner, and honestly I don't blame her." 

"Funny, I didn't know you were the leader of TGEOM," Hestia scoffed. "Oh, that's right, you aren't. Artemis, we need to protect her. We're not keeping her prisoner; we're keeping her safe." 

"What was Eros going to do?" Artemis said, letting her anger fuel her bravery. "They're just friends. It's not like he and Hades hang out on weekends." 

"We don't know who we can trust," Hestia warned. "And he showed up with food. Who know what that could be? I already checked under the lid to see if he's trying to pass secret messages. Nothing there. But we need to test the soup and make sure it's not some potion to keep her under Hades' spell." 

"You're being too paranoid," Artemis said. 

"I'm being realistic!" Hestia said. "And I don't like your tone. Now, go taste the soup." 

"Me? You think Hades has put some sort of potion in it and you want me to eat it?" 

"Oh calm down," Hestia rolled her eyes. "It's not like he'd poison her. If anything, it'll make you have a little crush on Hades and then we can analyze it and find an antidote." 

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER," Artemis yelled. "I'M NOT A GUINEA PIG!"

"But you're Kore's friend, yes?" 

Artemis nodded bitterly. 

"And as a friend, Kore needs this from you. Don't be so selfish, Artemis. It's not a good look for you," Hestia said. 

Artemis stomped over to the kitchen and opened the soup. She grabbed a spoon from a drawer and dunked it into the dish, hastily taking a spoonful and quickly gulping it down. After a few minutes she walked back over to the living room and took her seat next to Hestia. 

"And?" Hestia asked.

"I still hate him," Artemis responded. 

"Good," Hestia said. "Still, we better not take any chances. Dump the rest." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a delay in posting a new chapter! It's a crazy time for all of us. I work in communications, and it's been keeping me really busy!


	6. Chapter 6

Hera sighed at her reflection as she threaded the post of her earring through its piercing, catching a glimpse of Zeus adjusting his tie behind her. Though she was hosting a gala that evening to raise money for the children's hospital, she couldn't help but think of another worthy cause that deserved her attention. 

"Do you think we should go see your brother?" she asked, turning to face her husband. 

"What d'you mean? Poseidon will be there tonight," Zeus said, walking to plant a chaste kiss on her cheek. 

"You know that's not the brother I'm referring to," she said. "It's been two weeks since the incident, and we did tell him we'd help." 

" _You_ told him you'd help. I need to stay neutral here," Zeus said, turning to the closet to grab a different white blazer in each hand. "Which one?" 

"The one on the left," Hera said. "But poor Persephone is being held hostage. And with the bond, she must be in agony. And we're...playing dress up?" 

"Hey, I'll gladly skip out on the gala tonight. I seem to recall that being your thing," Zeus said as he dropped one blazer on the bed in favor of the one Hera chose. 

"Zeus." Hera said flatly, sitting on the bed giving him one of her withering glares. The god stopped fidgeting with his sleeves and sat next to her. 

"Bunny, it's very sweet that you care, but I can't be seen as partial. It wouldn't be right," Zeus said. 

Hera scoffed. "Since when do you care about doing what's right? I thought you loved showing off your might by doing whatever fits your fancy at the time." 

"Hades is a grown-up, Hera, he can figure it out," Zeus said, his tone raising to match Hera's annoyance. "And if he starts a fight, I of course will step in and--" 

"Oh, I see," Hera interrupted. "You don't want to help because you want to be able to step in when it goes public and be the hero. Let me guess, you'll frame Hades as the villain--again--and force him to return to the Underworld alone--AGAIN--with some twisted punishment on top of it." 

"I resent being told what I will or will not do!" Zeus said, lighting crackling around his brow as he stood. He calmed himself with a deep breath before he continued. "And for your information, it is my intent to allow Hades to take Persephone with him to the Underworld as his bride. A compromise of sorts." 

"How wonderful you are, my king," Hera cooed sarcastically. "Let them both suffer before things reach a head and then graciously banish them to another realm. Real leadership." 

Zeus sighed. "Well what would YOU have me do, oh great and noble queen? Have a dress up party to talk with all our friends about how someone really should help Persephone, raise some money, and go home to pat myself on the back when I actually haven't done anything for the person I'm claiming to help." 

"At least I try to help people, you complete asshole!" Hera cried. "And I want to help, Persephone. You know what? Don't come tonight. I'll tell everyone you're under the weather. And you can have the house to yourself. I won't be home tonight." 

Zeus walked back to her, arms outstretched to try to hold her. She shrugged him away. "C'mon, Bunny, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." 

She walked away. "You meant it. And it's fine. Though you intended to hurt me, you weren't entirely wrong. But I'm not going to sit around and do nothing anymore." 

"Hera, what are you--" 

"After the gala, I'm going to see Hades. It's time I helped someone instead of just talking about it." 

______________________________________________________

Hades opened his eyes to find himself in a gray void. He looked around for any marker of place to help him place himself before calling out an echoing hello to no one in particular. He felt small, and could feel his spirit reverting to his child-self. Before too long, a voice cut through the gray. 

"You're dissociating," a woman's voice called. "Or dreaming. Either way, you can relax, Aidoneus. It's not real." 

"Kore, is that you?" he asked softly. 

A barefoot Persephone in a white ankle-length chiton appeared behind him, lightly tapping his shoulder. "Behind you, love," she giggled. 

Hades whipped around, nearly diving to hold her; his arms went straight through her, earning an exasperated cry from the god and a sympathetic frown from the projection of the goddess of spring. 

"I'm not really here, Aidoneus," she said. "You're imagining me." 

"I just want to talk with you," he said. "I want to tell you I'm trying. I want to tell you about Hecate working on the potion. I want you to know we aren't giving up." 

"I know all that." she smiled. "You think I'd doubt you?" 

He looked at her wistfully. "I want to be able to hold you." 

"You will. Soon," she said. 

"Can I kiss you?" he asked. 

She shook her head. "Not now, my love. You have to get the door." 

"Wha-what door?" 

A loud, persistent knock brought Hades back to his home. Grumbling, he rose off his couch to see who would be calling on him at such a late hour. Eros wasn't supposed to be by until the morning to prepare for the meeting with Persephone, and Hecate usually called before showing up at an odd hour. He peeked through the peephole and quickly opened the door. 

"I'm sorry for coming at such an odd hour, I hope I didn't wake you," Hera said. "May I come in?" 

_________________________________________________

Persephone took advantage of the darkness to open the note from Eros. Her heart pounded as she wondered what words were on the page. It was small, so it couldn't be much. Was it from him? Did Hades write the note? She opened the paper carefully and ran her hands over the letters immediately as she recognized them as her love's handwriting, as though touching them would allow her to feel his presence with her. 

She took a deep breath and read the brief message. 

_I miss you terribly. Hera is helping. We will get you out. Pack a bag with your item of great personal sacrifice. I'll see you soon. All my love, H._

She blinked hard, looking at the words. _I'll see you soon._

_I'll see you soon._

"Be careful, Aidoneus," she whispered, hugging the note to her chest. 

She pulled it out in front of her face to look at the words one more time before hearing a light knock on her door. Her heart raced as she reminded herself there was no way it was Hades behind the door, as much as she wished it was. She shoved the note into her pillowcase and laid down on her side, facing away from the door as she tried to control her breath. The door creaked open, allowing a sliver of light from the hall to fall over her as an unknown visitor shuffled into the room, softly closing the door behind them. 

"Persie, you up?" Apollo whispered, walking toward the bed. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: sexual assualt

Hades and Hera had stayed up all night talking. When Eros stopped by in the morning, he had been surprised but excited to see his grandmother was there waiting, a new member of the team. Eros insisted she help him make a dish to take for Persephone to disguise the note from Hades, and though she wasn't a fan of the kitchen, she acquiesced. 

She waited patiently with Hades while Eros was out--giving Hecate a much needed (though she'd never admit it) break from being the King of the Underworld's moral support. She thoughtfully patted the back of his hand and let him wax poetic longer than Hecate would have tolerated about his feelings for Persephone and the entire situation they found themselves in. She didn't even mind; she just felt happy to be useful. And of course, listening to Hades talk romantically about the goddess of spring was giving her ample ideas for the wedding she would insist on planning once Persephone was safely returned. 

And of course, she was going to get Persephone out. Hades might be targeted because of his reputation on Olympus, but as its queen, Hera saw a few perks, the fearful respect of most Olympians being one of them. She just hoped that Zeus wouldn't try to stop her. 

Hades voice jostled her from her thoughts. 

"Hera, did you hear me?" he asked sheepishly, realizing he'd been talking quite a bit. 

"I'm so sorry, I just got distracted for a moment," she blushed. "What did you say?" 

"I just asked if you were sure about this. I know going against Zeus...it's had it's consequences for you in the past," he said quietly. 

"I'm not rebelling, he didn't give a direct order," Hera said nonchalantly. "I think he may be on your side, anyway. You know he cares quite a bit about you, Aidoneus, even if he doesn't always let it show." 

Hades scoffed. "Right, when it's convenient for him or make him look like the hero." His expression quickly changed as he backtracked his statement. "Not that he doesn't have his moments." 

"You don't have to tell me he's an asshole; I'm well aware. But he does try, and I think he's rooting for you and Persephone. He's just never been quite as brave or noble as you," she smiled. 

Before Hades could respond, the door swung open, a triumphant Eros smirking in the entry way. He strolled through the threshold, smiling broadly. "Message delivered," he said confidently. 

Hera beamed. "Well done, Eros." 

"How was she?" Hades asked with urgency. 

"She seemed okay," Eros replied. "Definitely not happy, and I could tell something was off with her. She wasn't 100 percent, but I guess that's the soul bond side effects." 

"Was Apollo around?" Hades questioned. 

Eros shook his head. "I didn't see him while I was there. It was just Artemis and Hestia. And honey, there was some big time tension there." 

"That may be something we can take advantage of," Hera mused. "Artemis is certainly more pliable than Hestia. And if I pay a visit while both she and Apollo are out, maybe getting Persephone home will be easier than we thought." 

"You're definitely going to need Hestia gone," Eros said, jumping over the back of the couch to sit between Hera and Hades. "She's got a tight grip. I got the feeling there's something she's hiding, more than just not wanting Perse with daddy ghost king over here." 

Eros apologized at Hades glare, waving off the intense red gaze from the King of the Underworld. Hera ignored the exchange, drawing Eros's attention back to her." 

"Did you pick up on anything else? I have been thinking this is a bit out of character for Hestia. She's normally calm and measured with her actions and this is on the extreme side," she said. 

"Didn't have enough time," Eros shrugged. "She only let me have five minutes with Perse, and she almost immediately took the soup out of my hands. I was lucky to get the note exchanged before she snatched my dish. Which I want back, by the way. Make sure you grab that when you break Persephone out." 

"I'll keep an eye out," she said flatly. 

Hades coughed, attempting to hide the emotion welling up inside of him. "Thank you both for your help. I can't tell you enough how much this means to..." he trailed off. 

"Aw, you big softy," Eros said lightly, pushing his shoulder. "Of course we're here for you and Perse. It's just about doing what's right! But I do have a question. Once Hera busts her out, what's the plan? I don't think this shit is going to go away quietly." 

Hera spoke first. "I've been thinking a lot about that, too," she said. "And I've got a plan." 

_____________________________________________________________________

"Persie, you up?" Apollo whispered from the doorway, creeping closer to the bed as he shut the door softly behind him. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, Persephone's back to him. "Perse, it's me." 

Persephone tried desperately to feign sleep, but Apollo's hand was on her upper arm, shaking her slightly. "Persephone, we need to talk." 

She rolled over, trying to mask her fear with annoyance. "Apollo? What do you want?" she yawned to give the impression that he'd woken her. 

"I wanted to--apologize," Apollo said. "I know I scared you before. That wasn't cool of me. I'm sorry for messing with you like that." 

Persephone blinked in surprise. "Uh, that's okay I guess?" she said. "But you're not totally off the hook for being kind of terrible to me." 

"Didn't that right hook of yours get me any penance?" he chuckled. Persephone stared back at him blankly. "I just thought, you know, maybe we could restart tonight." He slipped a hand under her comforter, rubbing her arm. "We haven't really had a chance to spend some time together since you've been back home." 

"Apollo, I'm really tired," Persephone said, looking away. She knew right now she didn't have the strength to fend him off, and her nightmare was replaying over and over in her head. "Could we maybe talk in the morning?" 

"Perse, you know Hestia won't let me get alone time with you. And besides, I was thinking we could do more than talk." He moved his hand up her arm, his fingers tracing lightly over her body until they came to rest under her chin. "Take some time to get reacquainted, you know?" he murmured softly, angling in for a kiss. 

Persephone jumped out of the bed, staggering back against the wall. Though her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, her vision was slowly tunneling in as she felt her heart beat raising faster and faster. 

"Sorry, Apollo, I didn't mean to--" she started, fearing an aggressive reaction. "It's just I'm really not feeling well right now and I don't want to get you sick." 

Apollo chuckled, walking toward her. "I think I'll be okay. C'mon, Perse. Let's have a little fun." With Persephone cornered against the wall, he reached out for the thin strap of her night shirt and lowered it over her shoulder. He pressed his lips against her collar bone. 

Persephone's chest heaved with nerves as she blinked, desperately trying to regain her vision. She could feel Apollo's hand reaching up under her shirt, his hand making its way to her breast. He gave her an uncomfortable squeeze. 

"Ap-Apollo, I sai-said no," she squeaked, a mass of black before her eyes which unbeknownst to her were now glowing red. She took a series of heavy breaths, trying to find her strength. 

"Perse, relax," he whispered, his lips now next to her ear. "I know you're nervous. It's okay. I promise, you're going to enjoy yourself." 

"No, Apollo," she said, trying to push him away. 

The god grabbed her wrists to stop her and pulled her away from the wall, pushing her onto the bed. He pressed himself on top of her, kissing her neck. "You're such a tease, Persie. I can tell I'm driving you crazy. Your heart's pounding." 

Persephone closed her eyes, fighting tears. As she opened them again, her body radiated just as her glowing crimson eyes. A wave of strength coursed through her as she shouted, "I said NO!" 

With the boom of the last syllable, Apollo was thrown across the room by an invisible force coming from the spring goddess. The window shattered, sending shards of glass splaying across the floor. Persephone's body floated into the air, red light and vines emanating from her being, filling the room with a light so bright that all Apollo could see was red. The room shook, with photos and trinkets flying off the walls. Apollo shielded his face in the commotion, barely able to hear the door fling open and Hestia cry out Persephone's name. 

In a moment, the goddess of spring was lying on the floor--well, at least he assumed it was her. The body in front of him was surrounded by a cocoon of glowing vines, covered in flowers and thorns. 


	8. Chapter 8

"What have you done you inscrutable cretin?" Hestia screeched, her hair flying wildly as the sprung at the god laying struggling to stand. "I should have known you had more of an ulterior motive than extortion. You complete piece of shit!"

Apollo stared wide-eyed back at Hestia, the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to produce his defense. "I-I-I was just checking on her. Artemis told me Eros stopped by and I thought maybe--" 

"Spare me your lies," Hestia seethed. "Fix the window. Make sure your charms to keep her in and Hades out are still in place. And then leave and never come back." 

"Hestia, I--" 

"In exchange for your silence about my arrangement with Demeter, I'll keep this quiet as to not sully your reputation. It's more than you deserve," she said snidely. 

Artemis rushed into the room, running to her brother's side. "Apollo, what happened--is that Persephone? Sweet Gaia, what is going on here?" 

"Your brother startled Persephone," Hestia said through gritted teeth. "Since she's so afraid of him, we decided it's best that Apollo help clean the damage and then give her some distance for a while so we can figure out what magic is at play here. Isn't that right, Apollo?" 

Apollo stared dumb-founded, for once in his life unable to talk his way out of a mess of his own creation. 

"I-is that what happened, Apollo?" Artemis said standing, and slowly backing away from him to Persephone's side, where she crouched outside the cocoon of vines, taking in the protective covering over the goddess of spring in disbelief. "Did you just startle her?"

"Y-yeah," he stuttered. "You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, right?" He leaned forward, his eyes pleading for her to return his gaze, but Artemis's stare held firm to the tangle of vines on the floor. 

"Uh-huh," she said quietly. "Sure. I know that. You're my brother. You're not the bad guy." 

Apollo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, sis--" 

"Enough of this," Hestia cut him off. "We need to get a move on and clean this up." 

Hestia watched carefully as Apollo used his power to put the window back together and recast his enchantments. After he completed his work, she escorted him to the door, leaving Artemis softly stroking the smooth surface of the vines between thorns and staring dumbfounded at the damage Apollo had done. 

After the sun god was gone, Hestia locked the front door and rushed back to the room where Artemis sat with the motionless Persephone. 

"Artemis," Hestia said, before shouting her name a second time to get her attention. "I need you to listen to me. Very. Carefully." 

Artemis looked up and nodded at Hestia, waiting for her to continue. With the affirmation from the young goddess, Hestia continued. 

"Things are far worse than I initially thought," Hestia said, hesitating before adding. "There's a lot about our dear Kore that you don't know. Right now, I'm sorry, but I can't share those things with you. But I do know it's time for me to do what we should have done when this all started. I was foolish and prideful to think we could handle this on our own." 

"Are you going to get Athena?" Artemis asked, looking up hopefully to Hestia. "We could probably use some of her signature wisdom right now." 

Hestia shook her head, her lips pursed tightly. "I'm afraid that this goes even beyond Athena's capabilities. We need Demeter." 

Artemis stood to match Hestia's height, looking at her doubtfully. "Are you sure, Hestia? If we involve Demeter--that could mean Persephone may have to go back to the mortal realm forever. I don't think that's fair, without her say." 

"Desperate times, my dear," Hestia said, her eyes softening with sympathy as she glanced at Kore. "Demeter has a right to know what's happened to her daughter." 

"Does that mean you're going to the mortal realm?" Artemis asked. 

Hestia nodded. "I'm going to look for Demeter. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where's she's at right now. It's harvest season and I know she's been traveling the realm. It may take me a few days to find her. In that time, I need you to stay here with Kore. Make sure she stays safe. And I know it may be hard, but please, under no circumstances are you to let your brother back into this apartment. Understood?" 

Artemis looked at the floor. "Are you going to tell Demeter he raped Persephone?" 

Hestia blinked, taken aback by Artemis's bluntness. "I--no, dear. I'm not. But I can't say that Kore won't once she's feeling better." 

"She should," Artemis said, still avoiding Hestia's gaze. "It's a foul thing he did. He should be punished. I can't believe I let Persephone down like this. I should have listened" 

Hestia stepped toward Artemis and put a hand on her cheek, raising it to meet her gaze. "It's hard to see past the deficiencies of the ones we love. We can still make this right for Kore." 

"Should we call Athena to help me look out for her while you're away?" Artemis asked. 

Hestia retracted her hand and stepped back from Artemis. After a moment of consideration, she said calmly, "No. I think it's best if we keep this under our hats right now. And even though there was a wolf under our noses, we can't forget that Hades is still a threat to our Kore. I'm afraid Athena might be a bit sympathetic to her uncle and not think clearly about the situation." 

"But if my bro--if Apollo was lying to us about taking advantage of Persephone, couldn't he be lying about Hades?" Artemis question. "I mean, maybe she does love him. Maybe he can fix this." 

"NO," Hestia said forcefully. "I'm sorry, Artemis, I do wish I could explain, but there is a reason Kore needs to be in TGOEM. She cannot be romantically involved with anyone. I don't think Hades intentions are as nefarious as Apollo insisted, but I do think it's still before for her if she keeps her distance from Hades. At least for now. Okay?" 

Artemis bit her lip as she glanced back at Persephone again. After a beat she simply said, "Okay." 

Hestia patted her head. "There's a good girl. You're going to go very far, my dear. You've got a good head on your shoulders." She floated to the door where her cloak hung on a coat rack in the foyer. Hestia fastened the cloak around her and called back to Artemis in the bedroom, "I'll be back as soon as I can." She swiftly exited, making sure to lock the door behind her. 

Artemis sat on the edge of the bed and buried her face in her hands. "Persephone, I'm sorry I was such a fucking awful friend. I wish I could fix this." She looked up, noticing that Persephone's address book hadn't fallen off her desk like many of the other books and papers in the commotion. She smiled briefly at her friend's old school habits before realization dawned on her. Rushing to the desk, she grabbed the book and flipped through it's pages, finding the name she was looking for. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and methodically dialed, tapping her foot and muttering "C'mon, pick up," to herself as it rang. 

_________________________________________________________

Eros fidgeted in bed, unable to sleep. With Psyche gone, it had made resting harder on the god. Not to mention, his parents made a lot of commotion when they were reunited and he was so over the sounds of love and war coming from down the hall. His cries of "There are CHILDREN here, you know," did nothing to stop the two. In fact, it got a frying pan thrown at his head before. 

But tonight, things felt different. It wasn't his parents or his love's absence that were keeping him from sleep. He couldn't explain it, but things felt...off. There was a disturbance filling the air around him that suffocated him with an anxious dread that he couldn't quite figure out how to cure. 

He thought, perhaps, that as the god of of love, that Persephone's predicament had placed a feeling on burden on his shoulders. Outside the fact that she was his good friend, there was the magic surrounding her relationship with Hades. He hadn't told Persephone this because he didn't want her to freak out, but when she and Hades bonded, he'd felt something that night, too. He didn't know what it was, but when she'd call him to ask for a cover story, it all began to make sense. His ties to love and sex made him keener to the emotions of the gods--and powerful love magic of old, it seemed. 

The strain tonight, though, felt worse than it had in the past few weeks. Something was seriously wrong with Persephone. He wondered if Hades felt it, too. 

He rolled over, reaching for his phone on the bedside table, to find the screen already lit up with an incoming call. A number he didn't recognize. He wondered if Persephone had been able to snatch a phone and was calling for help. His fingers rushed to answer the call. 

"Hello? Perse, is this you?" he asked in a hushed whisper as to not wake his parents, who had finally gone to sleep themselves about a half hour ago. 

"Sorry, Eros, it's not Persephone, it's Artemis," the voice on the other line said. "But, things are really messed up here and she--I--we need your help." 


	9. Chapter 9

"What's happened?" Eros asked, bolting upright in bed. "Is Persephone okay?" 

"She's-uh, well-she's okay but she's not okay," Artemis said, tripping over her words as she delivered them. 

"Can you just tell me what's going on?" Eros was now sitting on the edge of his bed, putting on a pair of socks and shoes. 

"It's hard to explain, but Apollo did something that triggered her powers. Things here are a mess. She's in like--some sort of cocoon made of vines. Hestia's left to find Demeter. She may be gone for a few days but that doesn't give us a big window," Artemis said. 

Eros raised an eyebrow, in disbelief at Artemis's sudden change of heart. Even if the circumstances she was describing were true, he wasn't sure he trusted her motive. "Window for what?" he asked cautiously. 

"For you to get her out of here," Artemis said, a new urgency entering her voice. "Please Eros. I know I fucked up. This is as much as I can do for her right now to make it right."

"Give me a few hours. I need to get some backup of my own," he responded. 

Artemis sighed before hesitantly responding, "Okay, just don't make a big show out of it. I'll see you soon." 

With a click, Eros ended the call. A smile played at his lips as he sneaked out his bedroom window and headed down a familiar path. He whispered to himself, "I sure hope dearest grandmama is awake." 

_________________________________________

A light tap on the bedroom window roused Hera from her light sleep. She had required Zeus to spend some time in one of their many guest bedrooms and was spending her nights alone. And though she hated to admit it, she missed feeling the warmth of her husband lying beside her. It made sleep hard to come by, and the interruption of what little sleep she got was unwelcome. She rolled over, prepared to give hell to an unsuspecting bird, when she instead saw Eros floating outside. She rushed to the window to open it, letting him glide into the room. 

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him. "What is so urgent it couldn't wait until we meet later today with Hades?" 

"Well, I need you to call him. We need to start the plan a little early," Eros said. 

Realization filled Hera's face. "How soon?" 

"As soon as possible. Hestia's gone for a few days and Apollo's been banished from the apartment. And Artemis seems to be on our side," he said. 

Hera furrowed her brow. "Does this feel like a trap to you? All of this seems to convenient." 

Eros shook his head knowingly. "I know it's weird, but when Artemis called me, she seemed genuine. And genuinely distraught. I think we tell Hades and we jump now. And besides, no one can say no to the queen of the gods, right?" 

Hera smiled at him, ruffling his hair lovingly. "Damn straight." 

_______________________________________

After all the necessary phone calls had been made and some back and forth with Hades about whether he should accompany Eros and Hera to Artemis's apartment or find and torture Apollo, Hera had convinced the King of the Underworld to wait until Zeus left for work and then come into her home and wait for Persephone's arrival. Hecate would join him, ready with the potion ingredients she had gathered and needing just a few contributions from Persephone. 

Hera made sure to put on one of her most commanding ensembles, ready to use her authority, should it be necessary, to remove Persephone from her current prison. 

While Eros had informed Hera that Artemis described Persephone as being in a cocoon of vines, she wasn't quite prepared for what she saw when Artemis opened the door to the apartment and led Hera and Eros to Persephone's room. Only faint patches of pink skin were visible under the tangle of glowing vines, sharp with thorns. The mass seemed to float just a few inches of the ground, and the glowing would intermittently intensify, adding to the forboding feeling it emitted. 

"Oh no, poor Perse," Eros said as he rushed over to her, trying to figure out how to get to her. 

Artemis looked down. "She's been like that all night. I've tried talking her her, but just--nothing." 

Hera nodded. "Don't worry, we'll take her to a safe place. You did the right thing, Artemis." 

Artemis shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "Where are you going to take her?" After seeing Hera's glare, Artemis apprehensively added, "You know, just so I have something to tell Hestia when she returns and is royally pissed at me for 'not keeping an eye on Kore.'"

"You may tell Hestia that the queen came by to check on her dear friend's daughter and saw her in this frightful condition," Hera started. "And when she saw that, she insisted on taking Persephone to her private spa for treatment and medical care. And remember, access to that spa is _invitation only_."

"O-okay," Artemis said. "Is there anything else I can do? Do you need help getting her to the car?" 

This time, Eros answered from behind her, drawing the two goddess attention with his muffled reply behind the blanket he had wrapped Persephone it. "Nope, I got it. Thanks, though." 

Artemis wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "When she wakes up, will you tell her I'm really sorry?" 

Hera put a hand on Artemis's shoulder. "We'll deliver the message." 

____________________________

After gently placing Persephone into the back seat of the car, Eros took his place in the driver's seat, joining Hera who had already found her way to the passenger's side. As he closed the door, he said in a chipper tone, "I really hope no neighbors were watching! It definitely looked like we just killed someone and loaded a body bag into the back." 

Hera gave hit a curt glance. "Not funny, Eros. But it's still early. I don't think too many nosy neighbors are paying attention yet." 

To make sure they gave plenty of time for Zeus to leave the house and for Hades and Hecate to arrive, Hera directed Eros to drive in circles through the streets of Olympus. After enough time had passed that she was sure Zeus was gone, she allowed Eros to return to the manse and carry Persephone up the steps and into the foyer, where a restless Hades was waiting. 

The king of the Underworld didn't wait for Eros to get too far inside before he rushed to him, taking Persephone from his arms and allowing the blanket to fall away from her. The thorns on her vines left small cuts on his skin, but that didn't stop Hades from taking her cocoon and all into his arms, tears streaming down his face at the sight of her. "Sweetness, what've they done to you?" he murmured. 

As he looked for a way to break through the vines and reach her, he noticed flowers beginning to bloom and taking the place of the thorns. Soon, the vines were dissolving into sweet-smelling petals and falling away from the goddess's form. 

"Kore?" Hades whispered. 


	10. Chapter 10

Hades eyes began to glow bright white as the vines turned to flowers and melted away, allowing him to feel Persephone's skin against his own. He hugged her tight against him murmuring her name before he realized what a sight this must be to the other three gods in the room. He blinked away the show of his power to look into his love's eyes and tell her how much he had missed her and how sorry he was for causing this, even though he knew she'd protest that he should carry any blame.

Instead, her eyes remained closed and though she'd shed her cocoon, his Kore remained unconscious before him. 

"I, I don't understand," Hades said, voice cracking. "I thought that..." 

He never finished the thought. 

Hecate was the first to break the silence. 

Bringing a hand to his shoulder, she said softly, "She's experienced a great deal of trauma, Hades. You know what that's like. She's just taking some time to come back to us. It's very promising that at first touch she subconsciously opened to you. Just give her a little more time."

Hades squeezed tighter to the spring goddess's tiny form in his arms and nodded at Hecate's words without looking back at her. "You're right. I'm just embarrassed to admit this is not the reunion I was hoping for." 

A too-chipper Eros sidled up next to Hades. "Nothing to be embarrassed about! I think we all know this wasn't the plan." 

Hecate glared at Eros and mouthed "Go away," leading the god to put his hands up in defense and back away slowly toward Hera, who'd been silently observing. 

"It's magnificent to see the power of your connection," Hera murmured just loudly enough for Hades to hear her. "I knew, but I...I didn't know how beautiful it would be. I guess it's, well, it's been a while since I've been in the presence of a love like this." 

Hades smiled weakly at her. "I didn't know it was possible to feel love like this." He quickly turned his eyes back to the comatose Persephone. "Hera, I don't mean to be rude, but do you mind if I take Kore to one of your guest rooms a-and spend some time alone with her? I just want to see if talking privately...helps." 

Hera rushed to his side and took his arm to guide him up the stairs. "Of course, Aidoneus. Take your time. But," she sighed. "Remember Zeus will be home in a few hours, and we'll need to move to the next phase of the plan before he returns." 

"I know, I know," Hades said softly. "I won't take too long. I promise." 

____________________________________

The ornate guest room wasn't Hades's first choice when it came to decor. Hera and Zeus's taste in interior design was the definition of "too much" and he'd sooner be in one of his sleek, modern bed chambers back at his own home than in the gaudy suite with the sole purpose of signaling to guests that the owners of the home were, in fact, much wealthier than you. Nonetheless, he was grateful for the privacy with his lover, even though she lay sleeping peaceful before him on the peacock-feather duvet cover as he fervently sat in a velvet-lined chair pulled up to her side, holding her hand and stroking it so softly. 

He smiled slightly in spite of himself, remembering when he'd taking her to his hiding place and they'd had their first intimate hand-holding session. Even though it had led to a boundary-setting conversation he hadn't wanted to have, he longed for the simplicity of that time when he could just be with her and not worry about the constant threat of being torn apart by some outside source. 

_Well, I guess that threat was always there. It just wasn't so ever-present,_ he thought. 

"Kore, sweetness, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm so fucking sorry this happened," he whispered, squeezing tighter to her hand. "I swear to you, Apollo will pay for his actions. And I hope you don't mind if I'm the one who enacts justice. I'm going to make that sick fuck beg for the mercy of death." 

He abruptly cleared his throat, chasing the anger away. 

"Sorry, baby, that's probably not what you want to talk about right now. We can figure that out later. Let's focus on happier things. I'm glad you're here, even if the circumstance is less than ideal. I missed you so much." 

As his voice softened, Hades noticed flowers sprouting in a crown upon his brow. He looked excitedly back to Persephone, but unfortunately, she had not stirred. 

"Thank you, sweetness. They're beautiful," he said kindly. "I know you're trying to break through. It's okay for you to take your time. I'm not going anywhere. As long as you'll have me, I'll stay by your side. Swear to Gaia." 

He placed one hand in her hair, softly running over the tresses with his fingertips and admiring her beauty in the stillness. She always looked so peaceful as she slept, and even now that help true. Hades leaned down to kiss her cheek, and her body hummed and glowed at his touch. He squeezed his eye closed in vain hope that this would be the thing to break her slumber, but alas, things were never that easy for the king of the underworld, and he knew he'd probably cashed in on his lucky break of the millennium with Eros and Hera being able to take Persephone out of Artemis's apartment without much hassle. 

He leaned back in the chair and resumed stroking her lovely small hand. 

"The dogs miss you," he smiled. "I swear, even though it's inanimate, the house misses you, too. Everything you've touched longs for your presence. It feels empty without you." 

He continued to chat aimlessly, hoping to distract himself and rouse the goddess. 

__________________________________

"Hera, I hate to be that guy, but we're on a schedule," Hecate said, sipping tea in an armchair across from the queen in the first floor parlor. "I need to get the last few ingredients for the potion, and they need to get out of here." 

Hera sighed. "I know, I know. But how are we supposed to perform the marriage with her unconscious?" 

Eros chimed in from his cross-legged position on the floor. "Well, she already agreed to marry him. Why don't you just bless the union and then when she wakes up, they're married? Normally I wouldn't advocate for something like that, but their union is like, universe approved. See exhibit a, soul bond. It's fate." 

"But that doesn't make me feel any less creepy about it," Hera said, setting her own tea down to bury her face in her hands. "And honestly, I don't think Hades would go for it either." 

Hecate interrupted, "While I agree the marriage is crucial, let's not forget that we need to get this potion taken care of so, gods forbid something like this happens again, they can bear to be apart." 

Hera and Eros exchanged glances. 

"Yeah about that," Eros started. "I don't think Perse had enough time to get things together before we came to her rescue after the plan got expedited." 

Hecate stared at him, stating dryly, "So you're saying..." 

"Yeah, um, we don't have the thing of value for her and we don't know what it is," Eros slumped lower, as if willing his body to melt into the floor to escaped Hecate's withering gaze. 

"So we have no way to make the potion, we can't marry them, and Demeter is likely on her way to Olympus?" Hecate questioned. 

"Pretty much," Hera laughed in spite of herself. 

Hecate sank back in her own chair. "Well, fuck." 


	11. Chapter 11

A knock on the door interrupted Hades as he softly recounted another story from his childhood for the still-sleeping Persephone. After hours of talking, he felt he was running out of things to say, but he couldn't stop. He desperately hoped that she'd open her eyes and smile at his stories, maybe even tease him a bit or just tell him to shut up. Anything would be preferable over seeing her lay motionless, glowing in front of him. 

He turned his head as the door creaked open. 

"I'm sorry, Hades, but I think we need to make some decisions," Hera said cautiously through the sliver of space between the door and its frame. "Zeus will be returning soon, and I know you wanted to be gone before then." 

Hades nodded. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, Hera. I'm just...I'm at a loss." 

"Mind if I come in?" Hera asked. "I don't want to interrupt if you need a little more time." 

"No, no, 'sfine," Hades sighed, waving her to open the door fully and join him. "If you're me here, what do you do?"

Hera pulled up a chair and sat next to him. "Well, that's tough. But, I think I follow through with the plan." 

"Hera. I can't marry her while she's unconscious. I won't do that to her. It needs to be her decision, too."

"No, not that," Hera shook her head. "I mean you need to take her away from here. You need to hide until she's awake. Didn't you say you had somewhere to go?"

Hades shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yes, there's a place. But I wanted to ask her. She's had so much taken away from her, so many decisions made for her. I wanted to let her make this one for herself." 

Hera sighed. "Hades, that's very noble of you, but Persephone is clearly not in a state to make decisions right now. She needs you to--to make that choice for her. If it's not the right one, when she's able to, she'll let you know. But come on, you wouldn't choose anything to put her in danger." 

Hades half smiled, turning his attention back to Kore. "I really did want to marry her today, if she would have agreed. I know it's not necessary and with the soul bond, well, it almost seems silly, but there was just something about the thought of being her husband that made me feel...better." 

Hera put her hand on his and patted it gently. "Look at it this way: now you'll be able to do a real wedding. Fancy dress, beautiful decor, delicious food; the whole big thing." 

Hades groaned through a smile. "That sounds awful."

Hera turned her gaze to Persephone, matching Hades expression. "Do you think she'd like it?" 

"Oh she'd love it," Hades said. "I can already see the floral arrangements." 

_______________________________________

Persephone sat alone in a spacious, white void, her knees pressed to her chest as she rocked back and forth. She could hear something. A muffled voice calling from far away. The sound was intoxicating, even if she couldn't quite make it out. The tone was deep and calm with a hint of melancholy. It beckoned to her. Pleaded with her to move forward. But to where, she did not know, and her feet would not oblige. Instead she sat, frozen to the spot save for the light rocking. 

Even when the red cloud appeared beside her, she did not move. Her own voice emanated from the incorporeal being next to her. 

"Stupid village girl," it hissed. "You're weak."

"N-no I'm not," she sniffed out, trying to contain tears. "I-I'm resting." 

"Why did you shut me down after we stopped Apollo?" the mist had taken partial form, mirroring Kore's features from the torso up. "I could have gotten us out of there. I could have taken us back to the Underworld. That's where you wanted to be, isn't it?" 

"Yes, but not--not with you out front," Persephone said. "What would Hades have thought of me?" 

"You know he desires me. Just think about what happened with Minthe. He couldn't keep his hands away from us," the creature moved to Kore's other side. "He's calling to us now, you know." 

"Yes, I know." 

"So why don't you let us go to him?" 

"I'm not ready yet." 

"You mean you're afraid." 

Kore stood, facing her shadowed self. "No, I mean I'm not ready. It takes a lot out of me when we--I use my powers. You aren't anything but a manifestation of anger. An-And I don't need you." She pushed her way through the smoky form, which dissipated as she walked and reformed behind her, stalking her movements. "I can take care of myself." 

The figure smirked. "Then why can you never summon your powers unless I'm whispering in your ear? And you certainly didn't shut me down when all those humans were dying." 

Persephone whipped around. "That's enough! You are a part of me, yes, but you aren't me. I call the shots here, not you!" 

"Looks like little Kore has finally grown a backbone." 

"Ju-just shut up! Please! I'm so tired of hearing you all the time. I just want to be with the being I love." 

"So what's stopping you?" the figure asked. 

Kore blinked at the question. "I--I can't. I've been trying. I--I couldn't get up, though." 

"You're up now." 

"I still don't know how to get out of here." 

"Let me motivate you," the anger whispered. "I can be an ally, you know. I've been an ally. With the sun twat and the nymph trash. Let me be your ally here, too. It will be much faster." 

"No," Kore said. "I'm going to do this a different way." 

Just then, a voice cut through the haze of the anger, and the whiteness surrounding them both changed to vibrant blue. 

_"I missed you so much."_

Hades declaration echoed in her mind, causing flowers to bloom and fill the void, casting out her anger in the process. 

"I love you, Aidoneus," Kore shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. "I'm trying! I'll be back soon." 

_________________________

Hecate ran into the room where Hades and Hera sat with Persephone, swiftly closing the door behind her. 

"I hate to break up the party, but there's something you should--" 

She was interrupted by the king of the gods' voice booming through the house. 

"Bunny! I'm home," Zeus called. "And I'd like to talk to you." 

"Shit," Hera said under her breath. "He's not supposed to be back for another hour at least. Two if he's with his whore." She glanced back at Persephone. "Sorry, dear, language, I know." 

Hades stifled a laugh. "I think she's okay with it." 

Zeus called out again. "Hera? Are you in one of the guest rooms? You don't have to stay there. If you want me to stay out of our room, I will." 

"Fucking hell," Hera whispered, rubbing a hand down her face before calling out. "I was just looking for a pair of earrings I seemed to have misplaced. I'll meet you downstairs." 

"Okay, good." Zeus called back. "Could you bring my brother with you when you come down? I'd like to talk to both of you." 


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm waiting," Zeus called again. 

"Shit. Shit shit shit," Hera lamented. 

Hecate walked over to Hades. "It's not too late to sneak out. You and me can grab Persephone and--" 

"No, no, it's fine," Hades replied, running a hand over his face. "I'll see what he wants. He may not even know Persephone is here. Better to act as least suspiciously as possible at this point." 

"As if the two of you being holed up here isn't suspicious enough," Hecate said under her breath. 

Hera ignored the comment and moved toward the door. "By the way, where is Eros?" 

"He bolted as soon as we saw Zeus coming up the driveway. We figured the least amount of people here, the better. But I wanted to be sure you knew he was coming." 

Hades smirked at her. "You drew the short straw, didn't you?" 

Hecate huffed in frustration. "I just don't understand how Eros is so good at Rock, Paper, Scissors. He must be cheating." 

Hades chuckled before following Hera down to the foyer where Zeus was waiting for both of them. He tried to get a read on Zeus's overall mood on a scale of mildly annoyed to holy lightning retaliatory anger, but oddly, Zeus didn't seem to fall anywhere on the scale. Something about him seemed--off, almost worried. 

"How did you know I was here?" Hades blurted out before he could catch himself. 

Zeus half-smiled, puffing himself up confidently. "I can always tell when there's a guest in our home," he said, but after seeing Hera shooting daggers at him, he deflated and added, "And also I checked work and your house and it's not like you go many places, so this seemed like the next logical location." 

"Using logic, I'm impressed," Hera said snidely. 

"Zeus, why is it that you're looking for me?" Hades asked, suspicion creeping into his tone. "I already told you, I'm not giving up on Persephone, so if that's what you're getting at--"

"It's Demeter," Zeus interrupted him. "She and Hestia have requested a meeting with me. They didn't give me many details but I presume something's wrong with the girl. I just thought you had a right to know that they're on their way, and that if you needed an opportune moment to act, now might be--" 

"Wait, you're...helping him?!?" Hera demanded incredulously. "After you made the whole big deal about me wanting to do the same?" 

"I didn't stop you when you left, did I?" Zeus chided. "I--I never wanted things to escalate. But now it seems they have and I no longer have the luxury of staying out of this. I didn't know Hestia was going to go batshit crazy." 

Hades sighed. "I told you from the beginning they were keeping her pris---wait, is this because you are still afraid of Demeter? Seriously?" 

Zeus gasped in indignation, puffing himself up again like a child as he stuttered over his words. "I'm-I'm n-not afraid of Demeter. She just happens to be a-a lucrative business partner and I prefer to stay on her good side. She knows who's in charge at the end of the day." 

Hades rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Honestly, I'm just grateful to have you on our side. Thank you, brother." 

Zeus grinned, pleased with himself. "Well, what can I say, Hades? I really do just want to see you happy. Now, I'm sure you two have been working on a plan. So tell me--what is it? How are you going to break Persephone out? Can I help? I love a good heist." 

Hera and Hades glanced at each other, neither saying a word. Zeus's grin slowly dissipated, turning into a heavy exhale. 

"She's upstairs, isn't she?" 

___________________________________________________

Demeter threw her traveling cape around her shoulders and adjusted the hood to sit perched neatly on top of her perfectly-styled french twist bun. 

"And you're sure the boy will stay away from her until we arrive?" she asked, walking quickly to Hestia's side, then making her way ahead of her as the two headed for the nearest portal between the mortal world and Olympus. 

"Artemis is a valiant protector," Hestia nodded, struggling to keep up. "And I think I scared Apollo enough that he'll stay away, anyway, at least until we get back." 

"I can't believe you let that boy in her vicinity in the first place," Demeter spat. "What on earth were you thinking, Hestia?" 

"I know, you're right," Hestia lamented. "I trusted him against my better judgement because of his relationship with Artemis. I didn't know he'd be so...scummy." 

Demeter scoffed. "You didn't know a man would be scummy? I don't know if I can trust your judgement anymore." 

Hestia fought the urge to shout back at Demeter and through gritted teeth replied, "A mistake I can assure you will never happen again." 

Demeter paused, causing Hestia to almost run into her. "And you're sure he's the only man she's come in close contact with? What about the internship in the Underworld? Anybody there we need to worry about? I know Hermes has been picking up soul harvesting slack from Thanatos and I never quite liked the way he would look at Kore when he would deliver messages here."

Hestia felt sweat pooling on her brow under her own cloak and adjust her hood to pull it lower. "N-none that I'm aware of, Demeter." 

Demeter nodded and began walking again. "Good. Not that that means there's no one, but at least she didn't come to you asking to be let out of her TGOEM responsibilities. And if Apollo really is the only male being she's had close contact with, maybe she won't want anything to do with them, anyway."

"D-do you think it's time to talk to Kore about--the incident? I'm sure she'll have many more questions for us when we--" 

Demeter stopped once again, turning furiously to face Hestia. "I told you when we decided to go the TGOEM that we would not address Kore's lineage nor her powers with her. And again after the incident." 

"R-right, I understand that, but if these kinds of things keep happening--" 

"They WOULDN'T be happening if you could keep an eye on the girl," Demeter roared. "Honestly, Hestia, how hard is it to keep track of one little goddess and make sure she doesn't have any interactions that trigger an intense emotional response? I'm not paying you to let things like this happen. Thank god the boy just had a little crush and things didn't go further." 

Hestia coughed uncomfortably and glanced toward the ground. After a moment of silence between the two, Demeter turned once more to resume her quick pace.

"Seems like if it were so easy, you wouldn't have sent her to us in the first place," Hestia said under her breath as she trailed behind her fellow goddess. 

"What was that?" Demeter asked, a threat hidden in her tone. 

"I said, 'I think we're getting close,'" Hestia replied. 

"And have you alerted Zeus that we need to talk?" Demeter asked. 

"Yes, I've arranged the meeting." Hestia confirmed. 

"Good," Demeter nodded. "Glad you can at least do something right." 


	13. Chapter 13

"Well, are you going to take me to her or are we all going to just stand here?" Zeus asked impatiently. 

Hades and Hera exchanged glances before Hera said softly, "There's something you should know. Persephone, she's...in a coma of sorts."

Zeus scoffed. "Is this a prank?" 

Hera shook her head somberly. "I'm afraid not. Apollo tried to--" 

Zeus plugged his ears and began loudly singing to stop her from finishing the though. An irritated Hades reached over and hostilely pulled on his arm. "Just because you don't want to hear that your little golden boy assaulted my queen doesn't make it untrue." 

Zeus paused. "Your queen? Did something happen that I'm unaware of?" 

Hades blushed. "N-no. We were going to, but, then this happened." 

Zeus's face twisted in confusion. "So? Just marry her. I'll make it law, Hera will bless it. What's the issue?" 

"The issue, dear brother, is that Persephone is unconscious, and I'm not going to take her choice away in this matter," Hades growled. 

"Is that all? I forget how soft you are sometimes. Hold on, though, I have a solution." Zeus hurried down a hallway, heading toward his office, leaving Hera behind to try to calm a fuming Hades. When Zeus returned, he handed Hades a piece of parchment. 

Hades snatched the document from Zeus's hands and studied it. Shock filled his expression as he stammered, "What do you mean by this, Zeus?" 

"I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, Hades," Zeus chuckled. "It's a marriage license! Issued by the king of the gods. Now, when you and pinky are both able to sign it, just go ahead and scribble down your names and any mark you make on the paper will appear on its mirror copy in my office. In the eyes of Olympus, you'll be married. And you can do it whenever you like, so you don't have to feel guilty!" 

"This is very kind of you, Zeus," Hades murmured. "I...I don't know what to say." 

"How about, 'Thank you, Zeus,' or 'You're the most marvelous and handsome king, Zeus,' or 'I pale in comparison to your great wit and strength, Zeus.'" 

Hades chuckled. "Don't get ahead of yourself. But thank you. Sincerely." 

Zeus coughed uncomfortably at the expression of love. "Don't worry about it. But Hades, I must insist you take the girl wherever you're going and leave immediately. Demeter and Hestia are on their way, and I don't want them to arrive and see you here. Now, what was your plan for hiding the whereabouts of Persephone? Surely you were prepared to have all eyes on you following her disappearance....right?" 

Hera chimed in. "Hades has a place--a secret place--where he and Persephone will lay low for a few weeks," she said. "And I will off to my spa, and we will spread word that I have taken Persephone there to recover from the illness that Hestia claimed she is experiencing." 

"Well, it may not be perfect, but I suppose being short on time it will work," Zeus mused. "What will you do after a few weeks when Demeter starts questioning why her daughter isn't back from her trip to the spa?" 

Silence filled the room. 

"You mean you haven't gotten that far?" Zeus demanded. 

"It's not that we hadn't thought about it," Hera started. 

"It's just that our window of opportunity came sooner than we expected, and we had hoped to have the potion at least started brewing before we got to this step, so we could administer it to Persephone and I and we could be apart without intense pain and dulling her power," Hades finished. "But we haven't even got all the ingredients together yet." 

Zeus huffed. "What do you still need? Perhaps I could fetch it for you while you two are in your secret place." 

"Well, we're missing an object of great importance from Kore," Hades said. 

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "And for you?" 

Hades blushed again. "I have selected my item and I kindly request you ask no further questions." 

"If you want me to help you, I have to know," Zeus teased. 

Hades rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Zeus." 

"This isn't a game," Zeus affirmed. "You must tell me or I will report to Demeter that you have absconded with her daughter and an army of flower nymphs will descend on your kingdom. Which actually now that I say it sounds kind of sexy-" 

"Fine!" Hades grunted. "It's these." He produced a handful of gems from his pocket. 

"Your stones? Really, Hades?" 

"I made these for mother," he said quietly. "It's...the only thing I have to remember her." 

"Oh," Zeus responded quietly, matching his tone. "Well, that's a...a very good contribution, Aidoneus." 

Hades sighed and slipped the gems back into his pocket. "Do you think you could help us, though? In procuring the final ingredients?" 

"I don't know, Hades, how am I to determine what Demeter's daughter finds important?" 

"You don't have to," Hades said. "Just, go to Artemis's apartment before Hestia and Demeter return. Grab everything that belongs to Persephone and bring it here to hide. Whe-when she wakes up, I'll call you and let you know what we need, and we can arrange for Hecate to pick it up. I'll let her know before we go that's the plan." 

"Hecate is here too?" Zeus asked. "But...okay. It seems I still get to participate in a heist after all. I'll do it. But I don't have much time, so you must get moving. Go fetch your soon-to-be bride and get out of here. Please." 

Hera moved to Zeus's side and much to his surprise, planted a gentle kiss on his cheek before grabbing his hand to hold it tightly. "Good luck, Hades," she smiled kindly. "We will see you again soon at happier times." 

Hades nodded and rushed up the stairs, where he met Hecate and informed her of the conversation that had just transpired with Zeus. She protested Zeus's competency for gathering items from Persephone's apartment, but begrudgingly agreed to the plan we Hades reminded her of their limited options. Before she left, she quickly drew blood from both Hades and Persephone and took Hades's gems to complete the potion. 

When Persephone and Hades were once again alone, he smiled sadly at the goddess, scooped her up in his arms, and silently fizzed them both away to his hiding place.

_____________________________________

When they arrived in the hiding place, Hades noted satisfactorily the changes he had made. With a bit of reimagining, he had recreated his home in the Underworld, knowing Persephone was fond of it, and added a luxurious green house and lake as well as a small forest for the goddess to explore. He had tried to predict anything she may want while they were there waiting to move to the next phase of their plan, when they could administer the potion and stand to be apart. He had hoped that she could just come home with him, complete her studies while proudly claiming her role as queen, and that they could reason with Demeter, knowing she may not like the circumstance, but hoping she could live with it. 

He realized how foolishly optimistic that thought had been, and had the more practical one of continuing their relationship in secret until Persephone was at the point where she would be striking out on her own after college, and that maybe after a few years of her living and working in the Underworld, they would be able to come clean, if fudging the timeline of their relationship slightly. 

But everything had happened so suddenly, and even though Hades had wanted to act rapidly, he now realized that perhaps Hera had made a valid point when he first sought her and Zeus's help in that he DID need more time to plan. Still, it was better that she was out of that apartment, away from her assailant and those trying to gaslight her into denying her feelings. 

_Why would Hestia care so much about Persephone staying on the path to maidenhood? I know she and Demeter are close business associates, but it seems odd that would make her so adamantly against Persephone finding a partner...even if that partner is me._

Hades realized he was still standing outside the house as he contemplated this, holding Persephone's small form in his arms. "We better get you inside, Kore," he whispered to her. "Between you and me, our moods determine the weather here, and it looks like rain to me." 

He took the goddess inside swiftly and placed her gently in their bed. Not wanting to overstep boundaries, he pulled up a chair next to the bedside and began reading next to her, looking up every so often to see if she had opened her eyes. Every time he was greeted with the same comatose Persephone, causing his face to fall and the rain to pour harder outside. 

This went on for days. He soon established a routine, making sure he was only away from Kore's side for the briefest of moments to run to the kitchen for a snack or to the adjacent master bathroom for the fastest shower he could take. He didn't want to be unkempt when Persephone awoke. All the while, the rain poured outside. He found himself working ahead on tasks for Underworld Corp. even though he was allegedly taking a sabbatical. Still it seemed fitting, he thought, to submit work remotely. That's what he always would do. It would seem less suspicious to anyone looking to accuse him of unscrupulous things. 

One day, during Hades shower, the weather outside shifted. The clouds began to part, a bright light peering through. 

In the bedroom, Persephone slowly blinked her eyes open. She looked around the room, pulling the duvet up to cover the lower half of her face. She recognized the room as Hades's, but something felt off. Hearing the shower suddenly shut off in the adjoining bathroom, she cautiously called out, "Aidoneus, is that you?" 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially, my plan was to revisit Zeus/Hera and Hestia/Demeter this chapter, but you're all so lovely in the comments I didn't want to withhold the Hades/Persephone reunion from you any longer. If any of you were truly dying to know what's going on with those characters, I'm sorry for making you wait...but I expect you'll forgive me ;)
> 
> Thank you all for reading and your kind notes every chapter! It makes me so happy to know that you are enjoying this story. And we've got a lot more ground to cover!

"Aidoneus, is that you?" 

The unmistakable voice rang into his ears as Hades stepped out of the shower. He blinked, shaking his head, sure he was imaging things. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd wishfully imagined Persephone calling out to him. He sighed, shaking the water out of his hair with a towel before wrapping it around his torso. He walked to the mirror and stared at his reflection, rubbing his face in frustration. 

"Wishful thinking, old man," he muttered to himself. 

He was about to return to his after shower routine until he heard the voice again, louder this time. 

"Hades, are you here?" 

He looked to the open door, certain the voice was coming from the next room. Could it really be her? Was she really awake? 

Not waiting to answer the question, Hades hurried into the next room to see a confused Kore hiding behind her bedsheet, eyes wide open and perfectly awake. 

Tears threatened to well at the corners of his eyes, but Hades blinked them back and choked out a whispered, "Sweetness." He couldn't get out any more words before the goddess rushed out of bed and jumped into his arms. He caught her and squeezed her tightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled back to look into his eyes before her lips met his for a deep, meaningful kiss. 

Persephone nuzzled into his chest. "I missed you so much," she sighed. "I-I was trying to get to you, but I just couldn't." 

"Shh, it's okay," Hades soothed, running a hand through her hair. "You don't owe me an explanation. We're together now. That's all that matters." He kissed her head lightly before a frown formed on his face. "But you should probably still be resting. You did just come out of a coma, after all." 

Gently, Hades placed her back into bed, and then pulled his chair up to her bedside. Persephone pouted. 

"At least get into bed with me," she said. 

Hades looked down at his mostly-naked body, with only his towel covering him. He could already feel the desire for Persephone coming to a head inside of him. "I don't know if that's a good idea right now," he coughed, trying to hide his wanting. 

"You know touching you is going to be the fastest way for me to feel better. Soul bond, remember?" she smiled innocently. 

Hades gulped. "Okay, just...let me put on some clothes first." 

"No!" Persephone protested loudly, much to Hades amusement. Even the wry grin on her love's face didn't make her back down. "Your skin feels so good against mine. I just want you to hold me. And kiss me. And do other things to me." 

"Other things?" Hades grinned at her before going to the closet. To Persephone's dismay, he walked in, turned on the closet light, and closed the door behind him. When he emerged, he was sporting soft heather gray sweatpants, but she could see he at least indulged her by remaining shirtless, allowing her to take in the full beauty of his upper body before sliding into bed next to her. "What other things did you have in mind, little goddess?"

She once again nuzzled into him, the silk of her pajama tank top gliding against his chest. She caressed his torso, making him sigh at her touch. "Take off those sweat pants and I'll show you." 

Hades clicked his tongue lightly. "Barely ten minutes awake and you're already trying to ravish me. I knew you loved me for my body, but this may be getting out of hand," he smiled. 

Persephone looked up at him and shrugged. Still running her finger down his abs, she was acutely aware that Hades's teasing was a cover for his own lusting. She felt his body quiver at her light touch, and the glint in his eye held more than just gentle humor. "So what if I am?" she purred, planting a few soft kisses on his chest and up his neck. "Is it a crime for a goddess to desire the touch of the god she loves?" 

Hades gulped, trying to maintain his composure, though his body was betraying him alarmingly fast. He gently removed Kore from him before hastily leaving the bed and standing, pacing to try to calm his urges. "You are recovering, Kore," he said out loud, more to himself than to Persephone. "It wouldn't be right for me to take advantage of this situation. What if we're moving too fast and I hurt you?" 

Persephone sat up in bed pouting. "You won't hurt me, love," she said softly. "You wouldn't let that happen." 

"But what if I did?" Hades said, raking a hand through his hair. "I have missed your touch a great deal an-and when I feel it now...your soft skin...your beautiful body pressed against mine...well," Hades flushed. "I can't promise I could control myself once we cross a certain threshold." 

Persephone sighed in exasperation, falling back to the bed and covering her face with her hands. "Telling me how wildly passionate you're going to be while fucking me is not the way to get me to stop asking for it, Aidoneus." 

He sat down on the bedside and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry if I'm overthinking this but--" 

"You are!" 

He sighed. "But I love you too much to allow my base needs to get in the way of your recovery." 

Persephone sat up once more, taking Hades's face in her hands. "Do you want me?" 

"Kore that's not the point." 

She smiled. "That's not what I asked. Do you. want me?" 

He exhaled in defeat. "Of course." 

"Perfect. I want you too. Last I checked, we are two consenting adults, who, might I remind you AGAIN, are physically and spiritually bonded. Who's to say you ravenously fucking me won't make me recover sooner?" she laughed lightly, trying to get her king to see her point. "Baby, if you don't want this right now, that's fine. I can wait. But I get the sense that both of us very much want this right now, and it seems silly to deny ourselves. When we kissed, I felt better, when you touch me, I feel even better. My body _needs_ yours. It's been...Gaia, how long has it been?" 

"Two and a half months," Hades offered. 

"Two and half months without your gentle yet commanding touch," she cooed, getting closer to him and kissing his cheek. "Your sweet sighs." She allowed her hands to explore his body, working their way down his torso to play at the top of his pants. "Your pleasured groans." She slowly slipped her hand beneath his waistband as her lips met his. "Will you continue to deny me?" 

"I--I don't want to," he breathed. 

"So don't," she took his hands and moved them to her body. "Let me show you how much I missed you, Aidoneus." 

Without another word, Hades mouth was on hers, exchanging long, hot kisses between gasps. He moved his hands to her shirt, tearing it in half and letting it drop from her body to avoid breaking their connection. 

Persephone shivered with delight at this maneuver, then moved to straddle his body, her knees pressing into the bed on either side of him as her body pressed against his. Her hands darted through his hair, gripping his locks as his took his lips away from hers and moved to kissing down her neck to her chest. He made quick work of her bra, his eyes greedily taking in the sight of her round, pink breasts before his tongue flicked against her taut nipples. 

"Oh, I've missed this," Persephone sighed, grinding her slick silk shorts against his bulging sweat pants. "Take them off?" 

Hades paused and nodded, his hands moving down her body to slide the shorts away. She quickly pulled them the rest of the way off of her legs and tossed them to the side. When she retuned to Hades, she grabbed for his pants, but he caught her wrist and grinned. In a fluid movement, Hades switched their positions, so he was now over her. 

"Not too fast, little goddess," Hades said before kissing her lips and trailing kisses down her body. "I want to make your pleasure last." 

Hades swirled his tongue around her sensitive areas, earning sweet sighs and moans from Persephone. As he grew closer to her core, he stopped. "Last chance to tell me to stop," he said softly. 

"Hades, fuck, don't tease me," she protested. "I--" 

Before she could finish the though, Hades tongue was between her folds. He lapped up her juices, earning even more desperate moans of pleasure from the goddess as she gripped the bed sheets. She could feel herself glowing as the pleasure coursed through her and Hades continued his tongue tricks. He held her legs down as she bucked against him, begging for deeper entrance as she grew wetter and more satisfied. 

"Fuuuuck me," she groaned. "How does this feel even better than I remember?" 

Hades smiled against her, stopping his ministrations once more to Persephone's discontent. He began kissing her thighs to heighten the sensation. "Am I pleasing you, goddess?" 

"Yes," she whined. "Can you give me more?" 

Hades moved back up her body with kisses, until his face was mere inches from hers. "Take what you want, goddess." 

Persephone kissed him hungrily, swiftly pulling his sweatpants down and unsheathing Hades's cock. He shivered in delight through the kiss as she slowly began rubbing his member, and moved away from her for only a second to remove the garment the rest of the way. 

A greedy Persephone pulled him back into the kiss, pressing her body against his and begging for insertion as her chest heaved against his. Hades's acquiesced, parting her legs and slipping himself into her. They both moaned in satisfaction at the breach. There was no time for slow movements as the two eagerly moved their bodies in-sync, increasing the friction and pleasure between their sensitive parts. 

"Oh, Aidoneus," Persephone moaned between thrusts, her nails digging into his back as she tried to pull him as deep inside her as she could. 

Hades breathed heavily as he pressed into her, enjoying the feeling of her desperate desire. "How do you want me, Kore?" 

She kissed him and pulled back slightly, giving him the chance to catch his breath as he moved away to allow her to adjust her position. She laid on her side and motioned for him to get behind her. He eagerly followed her request, sliding behind her. He tenderly moved his left arm behind her head, tipping her face to look back at him. As his lips moved to meet hers, he used his right arm to part her legs and move his cock into her. 

She yelped in ecstasy at his touch, welcoming his thrusts into her as his hands migrated up and down her body, allowing him to feel every inch of her exposed skin that yearned for his touch. Their rhythm was perfectly timed, and Persephone had to break away from the kiss to moan her pleasure as her body headed toward climax. After a few more thrusts, the waves of pleasure rushed through her entire being as her walls tightened around his cock and she came for him, crying his name as she experienced bliss. 

Hades rolled to his back and brought Persephone on top of him, allowing the goddess to slide back on his dick to earn his satisfied groans. He bucked up toward her, pumping in and out of her faster as he watched her bounce on top of him, mesmerized by her glowing beauty. He briefly caught a glimpse of the flower petals showing down around him, but Persephone's steady movement on top of him quickly distracted him from the surroundings as she lowered herself even further onto his, causing the god to moan her name is appreciation. 

She leaned down to whisper into his ear, "I know you like to look at me when you cum."

"Is that so?" he grunted as they continued. 

"Isn't it?" she asked seductively. "If you don't want to, I can turn around." 

"You'll do no such thing," Hades murmured, taking her by surprise as he sat up and pulled her in for a kiss. The two sat locked together, breathing pleasured sighs between kisses as Hades held Persephone in place on his cock, guiding her movements with his hands on her hips. 

After a few more kisses, Hades pressed his forehead to Persephone's and locked eyes with her. "Don't close your eyes until I finish," he commanded. 

With a few more slow thrusts upwards, Hades become undone. Persephone watched the love in his eyes as he filled her, intoxicated by the pleasure in his voice as he murmured her name over and over. 

Persephone kissed his lips once more before relaxing her hold on him and softly falling to the pillow, pulling him down with her. 

"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling much better," she sighed in satisfaction, smiling as she found her place in his arms. 

___________________________________

Their reunion had been a sweet one, and the lovers talked and laughed between kisses, joking about how they were going to clean up the mess they'd created and sharing idle anecdotes about Eros's soup-making and Hestia's ironically awful needlepoint. Both blithely ignored the uncomfortableness of their situation for as long as possible, choosing instead to focus on the happiness of being together, even though they knew their trials were long from over. 

They continued their happy chatter with intermittent silence, as if each were daring the other to bring up the unpleasantness, though neither wanting to enter that territory when they were finally able to enjoy each other's company again. 

Hades was the first to be dragged back into reality. 

"So, do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly. 

"It being...?" Persephone questioned innocently, knowing full well what he meant. 

Hades looked away from her. "Our time apart." 

She sighed. "Not particularly, but I suppose there's some stuff I need to fill you in on, huh?" 

Hades nodded. "And likewise for me. Sweetness, before we get into this, I need you to know I never stopped trying." 

"I know." 

"I wanted so badly to help you, but they kept me out--" 

"Baby, I know." 

"And I couldn't live with myself if you thought I abandoned you." 

"Darling, you're projecting," Persephone said softly, bringing her hand to his face to make sure he was looking at her. "I never doubted you. Not even for a second. I could feel you. Your pain and my pain...they're the same." 

"How much did it hurt for you...the being apart?" he asked quietly, bringing his hand to hers. 

"A fuck ton," she smiled sorrowfully. "And you?" 

"The same," he sighed. "I was really trying to get Hecate the ingredients for the potion as quickly as I could so we could hopefully make it and smuggle some to you--" 

"I don't want to talk about the potion, babe," Persephone said. "The potion makes me think about being away from you. And I don't want to think about that right now. S-sorry, I'm being rude." 

Hades smiled and kissed her forehead. "I don't mind you telling me you want to be with me, goddess. Quite the opposite." 

"Good," she smiled. "Because that's all I want. Forever." 

Hades's joy warmed his chest. He was about to bring up Zeus's gifted marriage certificate, but a doubtful thought interrupted his happiness and demanded to be heard before he could broach the subject with her. Instead, he swallowed hard and braced himself for the difficult question he needed to ask. 

"I--I know we're trying not to bring down the mood too much, but there is something I need to ask," he started. "But please feel free to tell me to fuck off if you don't want to talk about it." 

"Spit it out, Aidoneus," she teased quietly, even though she knew where this was headed. 

"Persephone, what happened on that last night? With Apollo?" he asked.   
  


“Hades, I think you know what happened,” she said quietly, not wanting to relive the experience. “He...he tried to...you know...”

”Sorry, sweetness, I phrased that poorly,” Hades interjected to save her the pain of retelling it. “I meant what happened—internally—with you?”


	15. Chapter 15

Hera sighed deeply when her husband descended the stairs. "Why are you wearing all black, Zeus?" 

"This is a stealth mission!" he said, clumsily trying to slide down the bannister but instead losing his balance and crashing to the ground. 

"You're just going to ask Artemis for permission to gather Persephone's things and hold them here until we return from my spa," Hera said, bringing her hand to her face. "Is this really necessary?" 

"Some of us pride ourselves on showmanship," Zeus said, dusting himself off. 

Hera smiled in spite of herself. "Well I suppose you do look rather handsome, even if you are the clumsiest stealth operative I've ever seen." 

Zeus grinned. "That deserves a kiss." 

Hera giggled, evading him. "No time, dear. You need to get going." 

"Aren't you going to come with me?" Zeus pouted. 

"I'm sorry, but I have to head to my spa. I'm supposed to already be there with Persephone," she said. "But I like seeing this side of you, Zeus. It's good to know it's still there." 

He sighed, "Bunny, I know I'm far from perfect, but I do love you. Very much." 

She smiled sweetly. "I know." She kissed him lightly. "I'll see you soon." 

Hera fizzed away, leaving a nervous Zeus behind waving to her. He looked around the empty foyer, losing his signature swagger without and audience to impress. Spending all his time avoiding silent moments alone made the rare occurrence of such a moment even more uncomfortable, and the intrusive uncertainties about his past decisions threatened to incapacitate him, freezing him to the spot where he stood. He supposed he and Hades were more alike in that way than his brother realized, though Zeus would sure as hell never let him know. 

He scowled at his self-doubt, shaking it away by running his hands through his hair and pasting his let's-make-a-deal smile on his face. 

"Right, then. Off to Artemis's we go," he said to no one in particular. 

__________________________

Shock overtook Artemis's weary expression when she opened the door and saw the king of the gods standing on the other side. 

"Z-zeus!" she stammered. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" 

"My wife asked me to fetch Persephone's belongings to store at our place for safe keeping while they are away at the spa," Zeus said, his voice oozing charm and charisma. "Mind if I come in?" 

He didn't wait for Artemis to blurt out "Of course!" before pushing his way into the domicile. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. "It's a nice home you have here, goddess," he said skeptically. "Very...quaint." 

"Y-yeah, it's not much, but it's mine," she said. "Do you need me to show you to Persephone's room?" 

"Please do," he nodded, following the nervous Artemis through the hall to the very pink bedroom. Her demeanor was atypical for the brazen huntress, and Zeus took notice of her stilted manner. "Everything okay, Artemis? You seem...unlike yourself." 

She sighed. "It's just been a trying few days. And I don't think Hestia will be too pleased with me when she finds out I let Hera take Persephone away." 

"Nonsense!" Zeus said, grabbing piles of Persephone's things and shoving them haphazardly into a large duffle bag. "The queen and I gave an order. You respected that. If Hestia tries to punish you, come straight to me. I'll take care of it. Understood?" 

Artemis nodded gratefully as Zeus emptied the desk drawers into the bag. He laid down on the floor, reaching under the bed and fishing out a few boxes. After emptying the closet and scouring the rest of the room, he turned back to Artemis. 

"Is that everything of hers?" he asked. 

"Should be," she said. 

Zeus nodded. "Right. Well, I won't take advantage of your hospitality. I'll just take this all with me." 

Artemis bit her lip and nodded. 

Zeus felt a pang of guilt in his chest, a foreign feeling he reminded himself not to allow to plague him again. Still, he felt as though he should say something before he left. "Hey, I have a meeting with Hestia and Demeter when they return to Olympus, okay? I'll have your back." 

Artemis smiled weakly. "Th-that's very kind of you, Zeus." 

"Try not to tell anybody about this, will you?" he smiled. "Can't have anyone thinking I've gone soft." 

With a snap of his fingers, Zeus and Persephone's belongings disappeared in front of Artemis, leaving only the barren furniture behind. 

___________________________

Hestia and Demeter crossed the threshold to Olympus, moving from the mossy woods of the mortal realm to an idyllic glade at the edge of Olympus, only a short walk away from the busier sections of its business district. 

"Would you prefer to check on Persephone first or meet with Zeus?" Hestia asked Demeter. "He promised he'd clear his afternoon, so he should be ready for my call." 

"Neither," Demeter sneered. "I get the feeling there's something you aren't telling me, Hestia. Or maybe you simply don't know. Either way, there's something fishy about what's going on with this boy that has disturbed my daughter. I want you to take me to Phoebus Apollo." 

"A-are you sure, Demeter?" Hestia hesitated. "Perhaps we should stop and see Persephone. Just to check on her." 

"You assured me that Artemis was a capable caregiver," Demeter responded. "Were you lying about that, too?" 

"No!" Hestia jumped. "I mean, I'm not lying about any of it. Gods, Demeter, you know you can be a real..."

Demeter's eyes glowed yellow. "A real what, Hestia? Choose your words carefully." 

She sighed. "I understand you are upset. You are worried about your child, and I understand that I've let you down, and for that I am more sorry than you will ever know, b-but I won't let you continue to talk to me like this. We're supposed to be friends!" 

"Friends?" Demeter scoffed. "Funny, I thought in recent years you'd started to see me as more of an open checkbook. Or do friends threaten to release delicate information about your loved ones unless you can find the right price for their silence?" 

Hestia looked down. "I may have gotten carried away when asking for donations for TGOEM, but I just wanted to be able to build a better Olympus, and provide for goddesses like your Persephone and those who will come after her. And you have to admit, her history can be...daunting." 

"I don't wish to hear your judgements about my daughter's 'history' as you've put it," Demeter said coldly. "But perhaps a show of loyalty here will allow me to begin to trust your intentions again. Now can you take me to Apollo or will I have to ask Zeus to summon him?" 

Hestia paused, letting the silence between them grow thicker as she worked out in her mind what outcome was more likely to further crack her relationship with harvest goddess. 

"He lives not too far from here," she said, walking past Demeter. "C'mon." 


	16. Chapter 16

Persephone snuggled into Hades's chest. For a brief moment she considered going down on him to distract him from asking painful questions, but with a sigh she reminded herself that he was her faithful partner, and smiled at the thought. 

"You okay?" Hades whispered, kissing the top of her head and squeezing her close. "Am I being too invasive?" 

"No, no, you're being sweet," Persephone murmured into his chest. "I just don't exactly know how to answer the question, because I'm not sure I really understand myself." 

Hades cradled her chin delicately with his forefinger, tilting her head up slightly so her eyes met his. Her hand moved absently across his chest as he gave her a reassuring half smile and let the silence hang in the air until she was ready to speak. 

"I guess," she started, drawing strength from his almost hypnotic loving gaze, "I felt a lot of things. I was scared. I felt weak from being away from you. And I was well and truly pissed." 

Hades stroked her hair. "I heard about what that room looked like after you got through with it. Sounds like it was quite the show of strength, little goddess." 

Persephone chuckled in embarrassment. "Well, I guess I'd had enough. Aidoneus, the truth is...this isn't the first time this has happened." 

She waited for Hades to react to her words with shock, astonishment, nervousness--but instead he just blinked calmly and nodded for her to continue. 

"W-why aren't you saying anything?" she asked. "I thought you'd be, I don't know, at least a little surprised." 

He laughed lightly. "Persephone, I saw you literally turn Minthe into a plant. I'm pretty sure I'm aware of your incredible power. I'm just trying to understand it a little bit more. Forgive me if I'm overstepping here, but it seems as if it's a bit--untamed? Triggered by intense emotion?" 

Persephone huffed in annoyance and turned away from him. "Yeah that's pretty much it." 

Hades hurriedly scooted closer to her, laying his arm over hers in a half-hug. "I'm sorry, Kore, I didn't mean to upset you." 

"I'm not upset," she said, still refusing to look at him. "I'm just annoyed with myself for thinking this was going to be some big revelation and here you are already knowing everything there is to know about me." 

"So...you're mad at me for paying attention to you?" he asked quizzically. 

"When you say it like that you make me sound unreasonable," she retorted. "And I'm not mad!" 

"Right, right, you're not mad," he said with a mischievous grin. Hades placed gentle kisses on the back of her neck and shoulders. "I'm sorry to have misjudged your tone goddess." 

Persephone fought the urge to turn around and intercept his kisses with her lips. Instead, she opted for a dramatic sigh, but it came out sounding much too pleased for her liking. "I know you were just checking in on me," she said softly. 

"Mhmm," Hades murmured softly in her ear, his lips making their way up and down her neck. 

"And you just want to know what's going on with me," she said dreamily as the god's teeth nipped at her skin. 

"Right," he said, using his hand to begin exploring her body. 

Persephone quickly turned to face him. "You don't get to seduce me into talking to you!" she said through a smile she was unable to hide. 

"My apologies, sweetness," he said, kissing her nose. "Was there more you wanted to tell me? Or should I just get up and leave to give you some time to be not mad at me?" 

She punched his arm lightly and giggled. "You're so dumb! And annoyingly not dumb at all. And too perceptive about my feelings and needs. And you're too kind too me and too good at sex." 

"I'm...sorry?" he said with a tone of uncertainty. 

"You should be!" she said playfully before launching herself toward his lips, hungrily enveloping the god with a blossoming passion that he eagerly returned, pulling her body into his. After a moment of this she relaxed and pulled away, feeling dizzy. 

"More of that in a minute," she exhaled. "But I really did intend to answer your question." 

"O-okay," Hades responded, catching his breath. 

"The thing is, there's something _inside_ me," she started. "Something that--well, I don't quite know what it is, but it's always been there. It's like this force that thrives on intense emotion--rage, in particular." 

Hades nodded. "I've heard many gods describing their powers in a similar way when they're just starting to gain control of them. It's common to feel overwhelmed when they begin to manifest." 

"No, baby, it's different," she said cautiously. "I--I've talked to my mother about this. And there's something--off. The force it--it has a voice. And after the whole thing with Apollo, I--I saw it. At least, I think I saw it. It looks like me. But also not. Ugh, I probably sound crazy." 

"You don't," Hades reassured her. "Tell me more about this force. Does it feel like something foreign?" 

"Well, that's the thing," she blushed. "I-I think it is me, but like, a different part of me, and sometimes it just--takes over." 

"I see," Hades nodded. "And I'm sure the soul bond hasn't really helped the situation." 

"Wh-what do you mean?" she said, her eyes filling with concern. "Hades, it's been so good to be with you." 

"But not when we're apart," he smiled sadly at her. "And I think I've put you--inadvertently, goddess, inadvertently--into some triggering situations." 

Persephone rolled her eyes at him. "Hades, I'm not asking you to fix everything. Just to be with me through it." 

"Sure, sure," he said. "I'm letting my own baggage get in the way again. But, and forgive me again for being that prick who just has to try, I really think this--whatever it is--is something I can help with, if you want my help." 

"What did you have in mind?" she asked. 

"Well, sweetness, do you recall when you saved me from Minthe, the first time?" he waited for her to nod in response before continuing. "I, I didn't want to say anything to you then, but I heard you say to yourself something about controlling it. At the time, I just assumed you were getting used to newly developing powers, but if there is some, some part of you that feels like it's challenging you for control, I think we can use our time in this place to help you gain that control. And selfishly, I don't know if I could," his voice got quieter, "if I could go through seeing it drain you like that again." 

She kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry I worried you, baby."

"No apologies necessary," he pulled her in as close as he could, reveling in the feeling of her skin pressed against his own. "But we're going to need to have that force on our side when we take on Apollo."

"I'm sorry, when we what?" 

"Persephone, you didn't just think I'd allow him to get away with his actions, did you?" Hades said. "I'm going to torture him. But I thought you'd want to be involved too." 

"Hades!" she gasped, hoping he didn't notice her body signaling how turned on she was. "You can't just torture Apollo. Th-there are rules." 

Hades shrugged. "No one touches my queen. And speaking of which..." 

Persephone whined as Hades carefully extricated himself from her and left the bed. He lazily grabbed a robe to cover himself as he exited the room.

_________________________

Kore held her breath, almost curious if her king had abducted Apollo and was holding him here, waiting for her to wake up to exact their revenge. The titilating thought of Hades's defending her honor made her feel slick with desire, and she had to blink away the thought, telling herself to calm down before he returned. 

When he did come back in the room, she tried to hide her disappointment that he was just carrying a piece of paper. 

"What's that, babe?" she asked, crinkling her nose. 

Hades smiled serenely and handed the page to her. She took it from his hands and read over the words at the top. 

"Marriage license?" she whispered. "Hades are you serious?" 

"I'm sorry we can't have a proper wedding with all the accoutrements that you deserve," he said, rubbing a hand behind his head. "But I thought it might be nice if we, you know, made it official. Your being my wife, I mean. That is, uh, if you still want to. No pressure." 

Persephone giggled at her flustered groom. "Do you have a pen?" 

Hades clumsily produced a fountain pen from his robe pocket and hastily handed it to her. She was poised to sign but paused briefly and looked up at Hades. "Should I be dressed? It feels like this should be done with a little more decorum." 

Hades took her hand and pulled her out of the bed. "Let me show you something." 

She followed him into the hall until he stopped in front of a closed door. "We control our reality here. That's one reason I think this will be a great place for your training. But I also included a few other things for you to make you feel more comfortable here. Open the door." 

"Okay," Persephone said nervously. She cautiously reached out for the handle and twisted it, gently pushed forward to reveal a closet filled with every type of garment Persephone could imaging. Her eyes opened wide as she took in the beautiful fabrics, running her hands over the dresses in front of her and tracing the patterns on the clothes. After a moment, a section of white formal dresses caught her eye. She turned to look back at Hades. "Aidoneus." 

"I thought when I asked you to sign, you might want to do something a little more traditional," he blushed. "I didn't want to presume, so I tried to create options for you. If it's not to your liking though, just go back in the hall, shut the door and think of what you would prefer, and when you open the door again, it will be here." 

"You made me a magic closet," she said tearfully.

"Oh, sweetness, I didn't mean to make you cry," he said, rushing to hold her. "I just wanted you to have nice things." 

"You're my favorite being in the entire universe," she cooed into his chest. 

His heart warmed at her words. "At the risk of eliciting more tears, there is something else." 

"Hades," she said, wiping her eyes, "You've done too much already." 

"Kore," he said quietly, "There's no such thing as too much when it comes to you. Get dressed and meet me downstairs, okay?" 

She nodded and let him walk away, her arms still outstretched for a moment after he left. She took another look around the massive closet before examining the gowns. They were all exquisite, but she chose an A-Line ballgown with crystal floral appliques and floral lace half-sleeves. Of course Hades had thought of everything and added a three panel mirror. She walked over to it, her breath hitching as she looked at herself in the gown and thought back to the handsome portrait of Hades in his royal vestments as part of his brother's wedding party. When she first glimpsed it, the thought crossed her mind that she would like to see him wearing it in front of her as she stood opposite him, wearing a beautiful dress like the one that clung so perfectly to her body now. 

She smiled at her reflection, allowing herself to run her fingers over the tulle overlay of the skirt to remind herself that this moment was real. Through silent tears, she willed her hair to grow, twisting a braid around the crown of her head as long pink locks curled out beneath it. With a surge of love, she closed her eyes and pictured her soon-to-be husband, allowing forget-me-nots to bloom in between her braids. When she reopened them to take in her appearance, she smiled warmly at the thought of her lover waiting for her downstairs. 

She descended and saw him facing away from her, standing in his royal blues, looking handsome as ever even from behind. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him from behind. He brought his hands to rest on top of hers.

"I love you," she said before pulling back just a little to urge him to turn and face her. Before he did, he brought a hand to cover his eyes. 

Persephone laughed. "What are you doing?" 

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding," Hades explained. 

"How are you going to take me to this surprise of yours if you can't see?" she teased. 

He smirked. "You underestimate your king." 

Hades took her hand with his free one and walked carefully to the door. For a brief moment, he had to take his hand away from his eyes to open it, but he kept his eyes squeezed shut, earning sweet giggles from Persephone that made his heart melt. She held tightly to his hand and allowed him to lead her through the lawn and gasped when she saw the beautiful greenhouse before them. 

Hades carefully guided her through, eyes closed all the while. When they walked inside, she saw an aisle of white petals leading to a wooden arch, decorated tastefully with vines and pomelia blooms. Beneath the arch, a podium sat for the pair to sign the license.

"Hades," her voice caught in her throat. "I thought you said we weren't going to have the accoutrements." 

"Well I couldn't do nothing," he said thoughtfully, still covering his eyes. 

This time, Persephone took the lead and brought him to the arch. She reached up and removed his hand from his eyes, which grew wide when he looked at her. 

"You're a force of nature," he breathed. 

"You have that paper to sign?" she smiled. "I'm very ready to be your wife." 

He reached into his jacket and produced the marriage certificate and a pen. 

"Should we, I don't know, exchange vows or something?" she laughed lightly as she set the document on the podium. "I know how hard it can be for you to come up with nice things to say about me." 

"I am quite coarse and unfeeling, aren't I?" Hades grinned before his face softened. “Kore, my dear one. In all my existence—and it’s been a long existence—I have never encountered anyone like you. I can honestly say you took me by surprise when I thought life had no surprises left for me. I thought I was destined to live in the shadows, and I had resigned myself to accept that fate. But you came along, and you were a light in the darkness, bringing life and vibrance to my emptiness. You have filled the space and made me whole. I promise to do everything in my power to make the rest of your days happy, safe and comfortable. I will love you with all of my being until the end of time.”

Persephone sniffed, trying to hold back tears.

“I hate how many times you’ve seen me cry,” she laughed. “But I know that no matter the reason for the tears, you’ll stand by me and help me dry them. You were the first person I’ve ever met that treated me like my own person, and I instantly loved you for the respect you’ve shown me. You are the kindest, gentlest, most perfect soul in this entire universe. With you, I feel like I—we—can do anything. It’s you and me, dearest, from now to eternity, and I couldn’t find a better one to spend it with.”

Hades leaned forward to pull Persephone into him for a tender kiss. He stood with his head down, forehead pressed to hers, holding her hands in his own. For a brief moment, they stood in silence, breathing in time with the other. Vines began to curl on the walls around them, encircling them in their private world and making sure that this moment would be still...quiet...theirs. 

Persephone tilted her head up and gingerly kissed Hades's cheek before turning to the marriage certificate and signing her name. The black ink glowed gold after each stroke. Hades followed suit. 

"Well, it's official," Hades smiled. "By law of Olympus, we are now husband and wife." 

"Kiss your damn bride again," she smirked before jumping onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and taking pleasure in sharing her first kiss with her husband as a married couple. 


	17. Chapter 17

Apollo sighed with ennui as he lazily scrolled through his Fatesbook feed, looking at the same posts he'd already seen three times in the past hour. Keeping a low profile wasn't his style, but he needed to take some time to regroup after the fiasco at Artemis's. 

Well, no, he reasoned with himself. Not a fiasco. Just an unfortunate setback not unlike ones he'd dealt with before. He still had his insurance policy on his phone. 

He flicked to the hidden album in his photos app and scrolled through the pictures of Persephone he'd snapped during their night together. He let another sigh out as he closed the album and dropped his phone. He always hoped he wouldn't need the pictures for anything more than self-gratification, but they'd come in handy more than a few times with women who got cold feet after sleeping with him. 

_You'd think for such powerful beings, we'd have gotten past being such_ _prudes,_ he thought. But the fear of being outed as non-virgins kept many women from making a stink when they started acting crazy. 

He'd hope Persephone would be different. Her pedigree was impressive, she had a hot body, and his funds would never be in question if the Barley Mother heiress became his permanent arm candy. She was kind of a dead fish in bed, but Apollo could have worked with that. Found some others to supplement his needs. 

And unfortunately for him, Persephone had a big mouth. She already had his sister doubting him. 

"Fucking bitch," he muttered to himself at the thought. 

Artemis was easily swayed, though, and Apollo felt confident that he could get her back on his side Especially if he gave Persephone a little reminder of what he had on his phone and who would pay top dollar for those photos that showed the innocent little spring goddess was not so innocent. 

He chided himself for not getting more dirt on Persephone and her powers before he pursued her. He should have pushed for more from Helios when he let it slip that he saw Demeter paying off Hestia to keep an incident with Persephone quiet. The stupid old man was too stubborn though and one of the few beings immune to Apollo's charm. 

It was too bad he'd convinced Hestia to confiscate Persephone's phone, or else he could send her a little encouragement. Well...if she was awake. 

A slight feeling of guilt crept into his brain at the thought of the spring goddess wrapped in a cocoon of her own making. Her mom must have really did a number on her with the chastity talks that she got so worked up about sex she went to those lengths to stop it from happening. 

An unexpected knock at the door chased those musings away. He walked cautiously to the door and peered through the peep hole, seeing a pissed-off looking Demeter accompanied by an uncharacteristically nervous Hestia. 

_Shit._

He plastered his most charming smile on and opened the door. "Demeter! What a surprise! It's not often we see you in this realm. What brings you to Olympus?" 

"Cut your shit, Apollo," Demeter said as she pushed past him into his domicile, glancing around the modern minimalistic decor as Hestia trudged in behind her like a dog with its tail between its legs. "I am aware that my daughter has taken ill, and Hestia informed me that you startled her and your unwanted intrusion has had unfortunate side effects. If I'm to help Kore, I need to know what exactly happened that night." 

Apollo hastily shut the door and motioned for the two goddesses to sit on his leather sofa. Demeter declined and simply glared at him, waiting for a response. 

Apollo raked a hand through his hair, his forced pleasantries know shifting into feigned hurt. 

"I'm sorry Demeter, I really don't know," he said, looking down. "I admit, it was foolish for me to check on her during the middle of the night, but I was just so worried about her after the number Hades did--" 

"Hades?" Demeter barked, turning her gaze to Hestia who was trying to sink into her cloak. "You did not inform me Hades was involved." 

"I-it's just a theory Apollo has," Hestia said, putting her hands in front of her in defense. "He believes that there is a chance Kore and Hades interacted in a...non-professional way during her internship in the Underworld and that caused her to become ill." 

"And NOW is the time you choose to tell me this?" Demeter questioned, her eyes glowing yellow. 

"I-it was just a hypothesis. I didn't want to worry you with gossip and hearsay unless we could prove it," Hestia said, adding quietly, "And I know your feelings about Hades are...complicated." 

"There's nothing complicated about it; he's a drunk and a fool, and no doubt a pervert just like his brothers," Demeter sneered. 

"Come on now, Demeter. I know you're mad he would let you use shades to help with some of your manufacturing needs, but there's no need for name-calling. We fought with Hades. You know his manner," Hestia replied, glancing over at Apollo as she spoke. 

The sun god suddenly got an idea listening to the women argue. "I didn't want to have to share this with you this way, but I did find some troubling evidence that suggests Demeter is right about his perversions." 

"What are you talking about?" Hestia said, mouth agape. 

Apollo reached for his phone and opened his phots app. "I'm embarrassed to have to share these with you, but when Hades heard we were taking care of Persephone, he sent me some aggressive messages insinuating that she belonged to him, and, oh gosh, I'm so sorry to be the one to show you this, but he sent me these to prove his point." 

He handed his phone over to Demeter and watched the look of horror cross her face as she took in the photos. Her tone was much less confident as she shakily whispered, "My poor baby. She looks so terrified." 

Hestia gritted her teeth. "Are you sure that's what happened, Apollo? Why are these saved in an album on your phone and not a message chain? Could we see the threatening messages in question?" 

Apollo sighed. "That's another reason for my embarrassment. I'm afraid he sent them to me through a disappearing chat. I thought to screenshot the photos as evidence, but the messages disappeared before I could capture them." 

"Convenient," Hestia muttered. 

"Hestia, we're all on the same team here," Apollo said, eyes wide. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't get the chance to tell you that night that I was showing these photos to Persephone and letting her know Hades had sent them to me. I think that's what set her off." 

Demeter gasped, her maternal panic around Hades's alleged misdeeds clouding her judgement. Hestia continued to stare down Apollo, some of her own strength returning as Demeter's tough facade retreated. 

"Surely you would have thought this information was pertinent for me to know that night," Hestia said. 

"I didn't want to embarrass Persephone any further and I felt awful that I had to be the one to tell her Hades was hoarding those photos," Apollo lamented. "It's hard when you are the keeper of such delicate information, isn't it, Hestia?" 

"Hestia, stop grilling him," Demeter said. "I know you were always fond of Aidoneus, but his nature has already spoken for itself." 

"Demeter, all due respect, but don't you think it's a little unfair to pin this on Hades?" Hestia said. 

Apollo gasped, causing both goddesses to look back to him. 

"Oh for the love of fates, what is it now?' Hestia asked. 

"Hestia, is _that_ what the donation from Hades to TGEOM was? Hush money?" Apollo said in shocked disapproval. "It all makes sense now! You're so resistant to blame him because he's buying your silence!" 

Demeter turned to coldly look upon Hestia. "You're accepting money from Hades?" 

"It was just a random donation after her sat through one of my presentations on our temple restoration project!" Hestia cried, waving her arms in frustration. "Athena and Artemis were both there; you may ask them." 

"And what prompted him to come to your presentation? An invitation from you?" Demeter asked. 

Hestia shrunk back. "He...had a conversation with Kore about the project." 

"No doubt after he forced himself upon her," Apollo declared smugly. 

"This is RIDICULOUS," Hestia shouted. "Demeter, I should have said something to you before, but Kore told us that Apollo was the one who, in his words, forced himself upon her. I was ashamed it happened on my watch and I didn't want to tell you." 

"Hmph," Demeter said. "Funny how you have a habit of accepting donations when it comes to keeping information about my daughter to yourself." 

"What are you insinuating?" Hestia fumed. "Apollo was blackmailing me, okay! He knows about Kore! He knows about our arrangement! I was trying to keep this out of the spotlight for your sake." 

"Apollo, is what Hestia is saying true?" Demeter asked. 

Apollo shrugged innocently. "I'm sorry, Demeter, I wish I were making this all up. But I have no idea what she's talking about." 

"Are you really going to listen to this little asshole?" Hestia yelled. "How long have we been friends, Demeter? Why would I lie to you?" 

"You lost my trust a long time ago," Demeter replied. "Apollo, you will accompany us to our meeting with Zeus. You will tell him what you've told me. We will get justice for my daughter." 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluff and smut

The glow of sunset filled the greenhouse as Persephone and Hades held each other, swaying gently to a silent melody that bounced between their synchronized heart beats. Every so often, one of the lovers would steal a kiss from the other as they basked in the warmth of their perfect contentedness. 

As darkness began to creep into their safe haven, Persephone looked up at her king, eyes sparkling. "Could we go to the forest and look up at the stars?" she asked. 

Hades smiled warmly at her. "Of course. Do you want to go inside and change first?" 

Persephone shook her head. "No need." In a swift movement, she slid out of her dress, carefully folding it over the floral trellis. 

Hades blinked in stunned silence as his eyes marveled over his new wife's perfect pink body. No matter how many times he got the chance to see her in all her glory, he still felt in awe of her. He choked back a groan of desire as admired her delicate curves and forced himself to keep his hands at his sides. 

Persephone blushed. "Sorry, is it too distracting? I just was feeling a bit nostalgic for how I used to enjoy nature." 

"Don't apologize. You should be comfortable. I'm sorry for leering," Hades said. "But sweet Gaia, how is it that you are my wife?" 

Persephone smiled and stepped closer to him, taking hold of the front of his jacket in either hand. She pulled him closer and kissed his lips softly. "I think it's time this came off, too." 

Hades nodded and allowed Persephone to pull the jacket from his body. As she laid it on the trellis with her dress, he grabbed the back of his shirt and hastily pulled it over his head. He smirked at Persephone's own lustful gaze at his torso before stepping out of his trousers and laying them with the rest of their clothes. 

"There's a clearing in the forest that's not too hard to get to," Hades said, taking her hand. "I'll show you." 

As they stepped outside, a sky full of stars hung above them. Persephone cooed in delight as Hades noted that the clear night sky above them was her doing. She leaned against his arm and gently caressed his chest as he carefully led her through dense thicket before coming upon the glade he'd promised her. 

The dark green grass was cool and inviting, and Persephone quickly pulled on Hades arm, bringing them both tumbling to the ground in a fit of laughter. Hades laid on his back and put his arm out, inviting Persephone to snuggle into his chest to gaze up at the stars together. He gently kissed the top of her head, enjoying the sweet scent of lilac coming from her tresses. 

The two again lost track of time as they lay together looking at the stars. Persephone pointed out constellations of her own invention, making up stories behind each grouping of stars that she identified. Hades asked her questions about the back stories of the heroes she invented, absently stroking her hair and smiling wildly as she told her mythology. 

After a while, the spring goddess turned her eyes from the heavens to her king. "How'd you get to be so wonderful?" she mused thoughtfully, running a finger down his sternum. 

"You're too kind to me, goddess," he said warmly, pressing his lips to her forehead. 

"Husband, you are too hard on yourself," she murmured. "From the day I met you, you have been a light of kindness and respect. You make remarks about not deserving me, but you have it backwards, love. You are so thoughtful and good, not to mention very easy on the eyes." 

Hades chuckled. "You're probably the only one who would say such things." 

"Well good," she huffed in fake indignation. "I don't need anyone trying to take my man away from me." 

"As if anyone would stand a chance," Hades replied, squeezing her closer. 

Hades light brushed her face with his free hand, tenderly tilting her head upward until his lips could meet hers. Their kisses started soft and romantic, a hunger for connection filling each small movement as they became more heated. Persephone rolled from the grass on top of Hades, whose large arms wrapped around her as he brought his hands to her back and pressed her body into his as their mouths danced together, only parting for short gasps of desire. 

"Persephone," Hades said gruffly, halting their make-out session, much to the goddess's chagrin. "I know we are to begin working on helping you keep control, but how would you feel about letting it go one last time tonight?" 

Her eyes opened wider in awed longing and she nodded in response. Hades grinned wickedly beneath her. 

In a moment, the ground around them was rumbling. Persephone watched in surprise as rock formations shot up around them, enclosing the pair in a small, open-top cavern. 

"Hades, what..." she trailed. 

"I told you, we control the environment here," he whispered before taking hold of her wrists and flipping their positions, so he was over top of her. "Is this okay?" 

"Y-yes," she said, shivering at the lust gleaming red in his eye. 

"If I do anything you don't like, tell me to stop, okay?" he breathed. 

"Okay," she nodded. 

Hades pinned her arms against the cool rock, and she felt small rings of stone forming around her wrists, holding her to the ground. Hades parted her legs and she felt the stone ties form around her ankles. Her body tingled in anticipation. 

Cool drops began to hit her skin. She looked for rain but instead saw tiny diamonds bouncing off her body as Hades surveyed her, as if determining where to begin. 

"What are you going to do?' she gasped excitedly. 

His eyes met hers again, the flash of lust now burning brighter. "Is that impatience I hear?" 

"Maybe a little," she whined. 

"Hmph," he smirked. "Can't have that, can we?" 

He leaned down to her shoulder, nibbling softly at her skin. As his mouth worked down her body, his teeth grazed against her body, nipping and tender areas. She yelped in delight at each bite, straining against her stone cuffs as her body bucked upward toward him. More diamond raindrops bounced off her as he played his game of pressure, each leaving a cool stinging sensation as they poked her skin and fell away from her body. 

Hades mouth traveled further down Persephone's body, his bites turning into kisses as he got closer to her core. When he reach her clit, he sucked hard, eliciting a shocked gasp from Persephone. His tongue explored her, moving forward from her vulva. He traced circles around her hood, earning more sighs and moans from the goddess. 

Again, her body fought against the restraints as she bucked upward toward him. Vine tendrils crept toward Hades and tugged on him, pulling him toward her. As he noticed the vines, he backed away. 

"Ah-ah," he clicked his tongue at her. "I told you; tonight's about my control." 

Persephone whined beneath him. "Please, Aidoneus." 

The side of his mouth cocked upward. "Please what, Kore?" 

"Please do more," she said. 

"More what?" he was now fully grinning. 

"More...that," she blushed. "Tongue fucking. Or other fucking. Just...more." 

"Beg me," he commanded. 

"Come on, baby, please," she pleaded. 

He leaned away from her. "More." 

"Please, Aidoneus, please fuck me," she whine, pushing her arms against the restraints again. "I need you to fuck me." 

"Need?" he said, pleased. 

"Yes, please," she breathed. "I need to feel my husband inside me." 

He paused. "I'll consider you request." 

"Hades, fuck me now," she cried. "Please." 

Swiftly, he moved back toward her, pushing two fingers inside her folds while massaging her clit with his thumb. "Is that what you had it mind?" he asked as she gasped at the insertion. 

"Mmmm, sort of," she sighed in pleasure. 

After working her with his hands for a few moments more, he removed himself from her and stepped back again. He bit his lip as he looked at her flush pink skin under the glowing moon, stroking his already-hard cock as he took in her form. 

Persephone watched him stroke his length, catching her breath from his start and stop game. 

"My king," she sighed. "Please give me your cock." 

"Careful when you speak, or I may just have to put it in that pretty mouth of yours," he said. 

"Please," she said. "I want to make you feel good, too." 

Hades acquiesced, bringing his member to her lips. She craned her neck as she pushed herself up as much as she could, straining to take in his length from her position. She felt warm as she bobbed up and down his dick, taking him into her throat and earning moans from her king. 

After a few minutes of this, Hades backed away and repositioned himself over top of her. "I think you've earned a reward," he murmured before plunging into her folds. 

Persephone gasped at the insertion and she desperately wanted to wrap her legs around his as his dick pounded into her. He sensed her body readying itself to fight against the restraints once more and pinned her hips to the ground with his large hands. He pushed harder and deeper into her, breathing heavily. He slowly lowered his mouth to her ear. 

"Goddess, you are mine," he growled, "And I will do with you what I please." 

"Yes, my king," she moaned beneath him. 

He released her hips, allowing her to buck upward toward him again. Their rhythm synchronized as their bodies begged for the touch of the other, their twin sighs and moans echoing off the stone chamber around them. 

Hades body glowed brighter blue with each thrust into his queen. Her power, too, was being triggered and soon her arms broke free of their stone cuffs, and her hands found their way to his hair. Their mouths met once again as Persephone shook away the ankle restraints as well and wrapped her legs around his. 

Their pace intensified, their sounds of pleasure growing louder and more frequent with every movement. More diamonds were raining from above than before, and Persephone's vines were wrapping the two together, forbidding their bodies from being apart again. In the distance, she could hear thunder rumbling. Or maybe it was right above them. She couldn't tell; she simply needed her lover's body and couldn't be bothered to notice their surroundings. 

She shouted his name as she reached her climax, seeing stars much closer and even more radiant than the ones they had observed earlier in the evening. 

As she came down from her release, her vines slowly fell away from the pair, but both the god and the goddess continued to glow. Hades pulled out of her and gently pushed the goddess to the ground. With a few more strokes on his cock, he found his release, his cum landing on her chest. 

The glow slowly faded away as he collapsed on the ground next to her. He stroked her hair lovingly. 

"Persephone, you were supposed to let me keep control," he chided lightly through a sweet smile. 

"I know, I just couldn't help myself," she said sheepishly. "I hope that isn't a problem." 

"Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked, the sound of concern filling his voice. 

"Very much so," she purred, kissing him to solidify her point. 

He sighed dreamily. "Then it isn't a problem." 


	19. Chapter 19

Zeus tapped his foot in annoyance as he held his phone to his ear, counting the rings. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. 

"Salutations! Hades here. I'm indisposed. You know what to do." 

Beep. 

He hung up and dialed again. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. 

"Salutations! Hades here. I'm indisposed. You know--" 

Click. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. 

"Salutations! Hades here--" 

Zeus couldn't hear the rest of the message through his own exasperated sigh. After three more dials with no answer, he finally gave in to the greeting's instruction. 

"Ahoy brother. How are things? I'm just home right now FREAKING OUT BECAUSE DEMETER AND HESTIA WILL BE HERE ANY MINUTE AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T LET ME KNOW IF THE GIRL IS AWAKE OR WHAT THIS FINAL INGREDIENT FOR YOUR POTION IS," Zeus paused a moment and took a breath to regain his composure. "Please give me a call at your earliest convenience. Thanks." 

He pressed the red button to end the call and ran a hand over his face. "What am I going to do?" he muttered aloud to himself. "Hera is better at these things than me. I wish she were here." 

After dwelling in his own self pity for an overly-long indulgent moment, Zeus perked up and rushed to his study. Pulling open the lower left hand drawer of his desk, he fumbled for the slip of paper he'd kept hidden in the back of the drawer. He sighed in relief as he saw the golden letters sparkling on the page. Persephone was awake. They'd signed the marriage certificate. At least he had this in his pocket if Demeter figured out what was going on. She may be hard headed, but even she should know that if her daughter's signature appeared on a legally binding document that she had signed of her own volition, their wasn't much her overbearing mother could do. 

He carefully slid his copy of the certificate to the back of the drawer once more, this time making sure to lock it for safe keeping. His annoyance at Hades returned but he chuckled to himself thinking that the newlyweds were probably just celebrating their union and comforted himself with the thought that he would be hearing from his brother shortly. 

"Indisposed, indeed," he smirked. 

He sat back at his chair, putting his feet up on the desk. Though he still was feeling some nerves about the upcoming meeting with Demeter, it was almost a relief to have company. It was awfully quiet without Hera around all week, and he'd sent Hebe to stay with Uncle Poseidon for an "educational visit" knowing that Hestia and Demeter would arrive soon. In his lonesomeness he'd considered calling a nymph or two for a visit, but for some reason, he didn't want to blow off steam the usual way, and somehow sleeping with another being seemed sadder than spending the night alone. 

The doorbell buzzed, chasing his thoughts away. He exhaled forcefully as he pushed his feet to the floor and made his way toward the foyer. He was surprised to see three beings starting back at him as the door swung open. 

"Demeter, Hestia, I didn't know you were bringing...company," he said curtly.

"Apollo has information pertinent to our conversation today, and I thought you should hear it," Demeter said, matching his tone. "May we come in." 

Zeus put on his fake jovial voice. "By all means, please. It just means we'll have to reconfigure the furniture in the parlor. I only had prepared for a meeting of three." 

"Don't worry yourself with that, we can just sit at your table, if it suits you," Hestia said politely as she followed Demeter and Apollo into the home. "We don't want to put you out." 

"Yeah, Hestia's right," Apollo added. "It's so gracious of you to welcome us into your home at all, Zeus. We appreciate your time." 

Zeus's smile tightened as he shut the door. "Always good to see you, Apollo." 

Persephone's accusations swirled in his head along with Hades's and Hera's affirmation of her story. He didn't want to address the Apollo issue or ruin the young god's reputation considering his popularity with the mortals, but a tightness pulled at his chest as he crossed the threshold, and it was making it harder and harder to ignore his alleged crimes. If Demeter had brought him there, surely she wanted him to address his misdeeds. 

Except...

It was odd that Demeter didn't seem upset with _Apollo_. Her demeanor made it abundantly clear that her annoyance lie with Hestia. Trouble in paradise between the two old friends? 

Zeus adjusted his grin to spread broadly across his face as he motioned for the party to follow him to the dining room table. After pulling out chairs for his guests, he took his place at the table's head. 

"To what do I owe the honor of having three fine gods in my home today?" Zeus asked. 

"Can we not do this, Zeus? Can we not go through your big show of fake hospitality and just cut to the chase?" Demeter said. "I'm sorry, but my tolerance for these banalities is at an all time low after what's happened to my daughter while she's been staying in YOUR domain. We need to talk about what's going on with Persephone." 

Zeus sighed. "I'm guessing you've talked to Artemis?" 

Hestia looked quizzically at him. "What do you mean?" 

_FUCK._

"I, uh, my apologies. I would have let you know but you were out of realm and I knew we would be speaking upon your return. I planned to talk with you about this more delicately but you know Hera has taken a special interest in Persephone--out of respect for you, Demeter--and when she heard the young goddess had taken ill, she went to visit. And you know Hera, when she gets an idea in her head, she just acts on it, and seeing Persephone in that state just devastated her, so she decided to take her to her personal spa to help her recover." 

"YOU MOVED MY DAUGHTER WITHOUT MY CONSENT?" Demeter roared. 

"Now, now," Zeus said nervously, pushing downward on the air in front of him in an effort to calm Demeter. "Hera means well. She has some of the best medical professionals on Olympus providing treatments at her spa. It's very exclusive. Only Hera and her designated guests have access. The waters have rejuvenating healing powers. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if Persephone was already getting back to her old self after just a few days there." 

Hestia jumped in to try to help the king. "Perhaps we could give Persephone a call, just to hear from her and calm Demeter's nerves." 

Zeus rubbed a hand behind his neck. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Hera doesn't allow phones in the spa. She says it distracts from the healing process. But before she left, she let me know she planned on returning in three weeks, and we're almost through week one." 

"You took my daughter--my only child--to a location I am not permitted to visit or contact for three weeks while she is experiencing a medical emergency?" Demeter's nostrils flared in indignation. 

Zeus's kind facade sharply turned to firm annoyance. "Demeter, with all due respect, your daughter is an adult. And Hera and I are the rulers of our kind. We don't need permission from you to act, and what Hera's done she's done as a kindness to your daughter. At some point you've got to loosen your grip." 

"Sure, it's a kindness to me," Demeter rolled her eyes. "How am I to know if you're even telling the truth? It's awfully convenient that your wife has allegedly absconded with my Kore and there's no way to reach them. Almost as if it's a lie and you're covering for somebody _else_." 

Zeus began panicking internally, but his expression never falter. "I don't understand what you're insinuating. Why would I lie to you? What would I have to hide." 

"Apollo's told me all about your brother's unholy fascination with my baby," Demeter sneered. "The internship. The lavish gifts. How her demeanor has changed since being with him. And the threats he began making toward Apollo--and-and--Apollo, tell him about the photos." 

Apollo nodded. "It's true, Zeus. Persie and I have been getting closer--just as friends, you know, since she's been living with my sister--but Hades didn't like seeing us together and he sent me some concerning photos of her. I know he's your brother and a king, so I was a little afraid to say anything, but seeing how bad stuff started to get with Perse, I knew I had to talk about it with her. I showed her the photos he sent me of her in a compromising position, and she went ballistic. I regret approaching it the way I did with her, but I wanted to try to get her side of the story before going forward. I know now that was a big mistake." 

"You're joking," Zeus scoffed. "My brother, Mr. Proper, who has lectured me more than once about my treatment of women--I'm working on it--allegedly, what, forced himself on Persephone? If you accused Poseidon, maybe I could see it, or hell, I know me, I could see you saying something about ME, but Hades? Uh-uh. That's not him." 

"Don't be blinded by your family loyalty," Demeter hissed. "There is obviously something going on here." 

"Forgive me if I need a little more proof than the word of a god who hasn't even been around 1000 years," Zeus said flatly. 

"Then why would you send him to the Underworld?" Apollo argued. "Why wouldn't you put a stop to the whispers about Hades's demeanor? He is well known for being harsh and cold. You have to know there's something off about him!" 

Zeus frowned. "My brother and I may not always see eye to eye, and I'll admit, I have not always had his back in the ways that I should, but if I know anything, I know this--Hades is a good man. Maybe the best of us all. And frankly, Apollo, I'm starting to second guess my trust in you with your inability to see that." 

Hestia interrupted, trying to ease the tension filling the air. "Zeus, I agree it seems out of character for Hades. Maybe it's a misunderstanding." 

"Those photos are not a misunderstanding," Demeter choked out, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. "Apollo, Hestia, could you let Zeus and I have the room? Maybe you can use the chairs in the parlor Zeus was so excited for earlier." 

The two nodded and swiftly exited the room. 

In a hushed tone, Demeter's anger returned. "I will not have you and your brothers' code of silence gaslight me or my daughter. She has suffered abuse, and the photos on that boy's phone prove it." 

"Do you think maybe that the owner of the phone with the photos is the one who took them?" Zeus said harshly. "I don't want to believe either of them are capable of such acts, but if I had to say which one, my money's on the sweet-talking sun god with the convenient story for the explicit photos on his phone that blames his self-proclaimed enemy for snapping them." 

His tone softened. "Demeter, we fought together. We've seen things that beings like Apollo and your daughter are lucky to have never experienced. You've been through the greatest stresses with Hades--the kind that show who you really are. Don't you think better of him than this?" 

"How do you explain the other things, then? The internship? The gifts? Even Hestia admitted that those were true. I saw the tabloid cover you all tried to hide from me. There's something going on there," Demeter replied. 

"So what if there is?" Zeus shot back. "Honestly, Demeter, I know it's not the life you had planned for your daughter, but if she's interested in a romantic relationship with my brother, she could do a lot worse. He's kind and fair, not to mention he's loaded--and a king! If Persephone chose to spend her life with him, she would be well taken care of. I don't see the issue." 

"That's because you don't know her!" Demeter said with an exasperated loud whisper. "It's not safe for Persephone to be--uh, in a relationship." 

"Why is that? Why are you hesitating? What are you not telling me?" Zeus eyed her curiously. 

Demeter paused, pressing her fingertips together and bringing her pointer fingers to her temple. "Persephone is different. She's, she's special. When her emotions run high--she becomes... _difficult_ to manage. A romantic relationship could lead to issues beyond her control."

"Demeter, we all go through an adjustment period as our powers grow stronger," Zeus offered. "I know hearing about what happened with her, this illness, it's scary, but maybe it's--" 

"Oh please, can we stop pretending she was sick?" Demeter sighed. "She's a goddess. We don't get sick. We both know that this has farther spreading implications." 

"Even so, it doesn't mean--" 

"It does, Zeus. It does, okay? I've kept Persephone sheltered in the mortal realm for a reason. There are things--and look, don't get mad at me for hiding this from you. You aren't exactly a paragon on kindness and understanding--but there are things about her you simply don't know. Before she left to come here, she--she and I got into an argument. She lost her temper. It'd happened before, but I'd dealt with it, but this time--her rage took over. It, well, it exploded out of her. You know how you do your little lightning thing?" 

She waited for Zeus to nod begrudgingly before she continued. 

"Picture that times a thousand. I--I don't know how she did all of it, to be honest. She conjured raging winds that's swirled around and away from her. The earth trembled and cracked as she produced trees the size of this room out of nothing. I couldn't reach her. I couldn't calm her. And the devastation around us was--inconceivable. She destroyed three mortal villages before she calmed down." 

"Why is this the first I'm hearing about this?" Zeus spat angrily. "Think of how much damage that may have done for our kind." 

"I know, Zeus, but come on, she isn't the first god to lose her cool and accidentally wipe out some mortals. And you're not exactly known for your kind and fair judgements," Demeter countered. "I was trying to protect her. I tried to reconcile with her. I built her the finest greenhouse. I thought I could keep her there for just a little bit while I figured out what to do--but, well, her temper took over again and she destroyed that too." 

"So you sent her here? To my realm?" 

"She wanted to be here! I couldn't hold her against her will in the mortal realm and risk more damage," Demeter said. "We'd been working on the TGEOM thing for a while with Hestia, to help her stay in a more stable situation. She's a good girl, Zeus. She's smart and strong. There's just this part of her that--that needs work. You should have seen her after what happened to all those mortals. She was really broken up about it. She didn't mean for it to happen." 

"That doesn't make your actions okay!" Zeus said, hastily glancing to his phone. "What if she's putting Ha--Hera in danger right now? You should have at least let us know before you sent her here." 

"She wasn't supposed to be in any triggering situations," Demeter said. "Maybe if you could keep your kingdom in line we wouldn't have this problem." 

"I am not having this argument with you! You couldn't keep yourself in line!" 

"Fine, fine," she sighed. "You said they're at a spa? That should be nice and calm, right? I need you to let me know the instance she returns. If you do--if you let me know, I will be indebted to you. I'll do whatever you want. Just let me keep my daughter safe." 

Zeus hesitated before saying softly, "Demeter, do you think maybe your heavy handedness has played a part in her reactions? You said it yourself--she's had multiple outbursts because of your contentious relationship. This thing that happened at the apartment--it was relatively contained, and I've had no other complaints about Kore since she's been here. I don't want to tell you how to parent, but maybe this is something she can overcome if she can have some time to figure it out herself." 

"Your son is literally the god of war, and I'm supposed to take parenting advice from you on how to raise a well-adjusted child? With all due respect--which is very little--I'm going to have to pass. Just let me know when Kore is back." 

Demeter stood abruptly and headed toward the door. She paused. 

"If you're lying to me about her whereabouts, you'll be sorry. And it won't be because anything I do." She swiftly strutted out of the room. He heard her call to Apollo and Hestia and he ran after her to watch them leave his home. 

As the door slammed shut, he reached for his phone again, dialing Hades's number again. 


	20. Chapter 20

Persephone woke with a start in her marital bed strewn with flower petals to find her husband was not there. Her arm reached for him instinctively and she found a not on his pillow, scrawled in his handwriting. 

_Breakfast is ready when you are, my insatiable wife. See you downstairs._

Persephone felt her cheeks grow warm as she smiled at the note and hugged it close to her. Hades was her husband. He was, by laws of their society and, so it seemed, laws of the universe, all _hers._ If the soul bond hadn't been enough to make her confident in their powerful connection, this was the incontrovertible proof that he wanted her so much to be his that he'd vow himself to her for eternity. 

And of course, they had spent the past 24 hours proving to each other that their physical desire for one another evenly matched their emotional bond. She shivered in delight thinking about how tenderly Hades had rinsed her hair when they came to shower after consummating their marriage in the forest, and his rough strength when he held her body against the cool tile and thrust himself into her while she wrapped her legs around him. 

His incredibly soft kisses that he planted all over her body intermixed with his sweet moans as she made him feel so good. His cries of her name when he dissolved into ecstasy during their love making again and again and again. She never tired of him and admittedly could've gone several more rounds, but she didn't want to overwork him, or overindulge. 

This time together, it was glorious, but it couldn't be forever. They had to get back to the rest of their lives, and she was tired of being sequestered, jumping from her prison at Artemis's apartment to this new self-imposed house arrest, even if she did have the sexiest fellow inmate whom she adored. Truthfully, she felt at the moment she could stay with him her forever and not want for more, but it wasn't realistic for the king of the underworld to stay in hiding, and she couldn't stay away from her mother or her own duties. 

She shook away the thought and carefully stepped out of bed, sweeping aside some of the tiny diamonds on the ground before tossing on one of Hades's t-shirts to head downstairs. The complicated thoughts could wait until she got another taste of what was waiting for her downstairs. The high of the physical connection of the soul bonded pair made her feel like she was floating and she didn't want to waste her energy thinking about anything except for her newlywed bliss. 

When she walked into the kitchen, she was greeted by a tracksuit-clad Hades, that dorky grin of his spreading across his face as her saw her crossing the threshold. 

"There you are!" he said warmly. "I was afraid I made you overexert yourself." 

"Funny," she said before planting a kiss on his cheek and pulling out a chair for herself at the kitchen bar. "I was thinking the same thing last night when you fell asleep so quickly." 

"Well thank you for putting aside your desires and letting me get some rest," he winked, sliding a plate of french toast and fresh berries in front of her. 

"You'll make it up to me later," she purred, popping a sweet berry into her mouth. 

Hades cocked an eyebrow. "Eight hours straight not enough for you, huh?" 

She shook her head, a smile spreading wide across her face. "Oh my dear husband, we are only getting started." 

He kissed her forehead and motioned for her to eat while he washed the dishes he'd used to prepare their food. "As much fun as that sounds, I believe you're forgetting that we have some work to do today, sweetness." 

She looked at him quizzically. "Work?" 

"Your training, of course," he replied. "While you were resting I took the liberty of cleaning up some of the, uh, damage, we did last night and transformed some of the woods into a training facility for you. We're going to take that force inside you and make sure it's on your side." 

"But I don't want to do that just yet, I want to have more fun with my new husband," she whined. 

He crossed back to her, lifting her lips to his and planting a dizzying kiss that made her nearly fall off her seat. "That is so very tempting," he said in a hoarse whisper, "But we're supposed to be working on self control." 

Persephone pouted and crossed her arms. "I guess you're right." 

He smiled before leaning to whisper in her ear, "And once we've gotten in some training time today, I'll properly ravish you later, my queen." 

He straightened up. "Once you're done eating, I'll show you what I've been working on. I think it's going to be a big help!" 

________________________________________________________

Persephone followed Hades into a large dome structure, a new feature of their homemade hiding place that wasn't there the day before. Inside, a large linoleum floor stretched out in front of her. The space was largely empty, save for a small corner of the room that looked like a tiny office and a few training dummies at the other end of the facility. 

"No offense, baby, but what exactly is this supposed to do?" Persephone said cautiously, looking at the unimpressive burlap figures on wheels. "Am I going to get mad because you wasted a sack of flour to make this?" 

"Ha, ha, Ms. Kore," Hades said lightly. "They'll only appear that way until I go over to that room," he gestured to the office space, "and start the simulator. It can download any feature and personality onto those target receptors, and we can simulate a situation that may trigger your inner rage." 

"You made this all in an hour?" Persephone gasped. 

Hades flushed. "Well, it's not completely new technology to me. I've had to work on some of my own issues...I find it most helpful to play out the scenario in the most realistic way possible." 

"So one of those things could be...Apollo? Once you go in that room and flip a switch?" she asked. 

Hades nodded. "But we may not want to start there. I want to warn you before we do this, the scenarios can seem VERY real. You may forget where you are. That's part of the intention, to truly immerse you in the situation you need to learn to adapt to, but it can also be jarring. I think it's best we start slow. Oh, and here, you'll need this." 

Hades handed her a small earpiece. 

"What does this do?" she asked as she put it on. 

"It works two ways. To start, this can help filter some of your experiences to the simulator. It helps it learn and understand what kind of interaction you may have had with the being its simulating by tapping into your memories," he said. "Don't worry, it only works in such a way that the machine can interpret for our training. The information the machine draws is heavily encrypted, and even if someone else could access it, everything would look like gibberish to them." 

"What the second way it works?" she asked. 

"If things get too real, I or the machine can communicate with you to bring you out of the sequence." 

"What do you mean you or the machine?" 

"Well, I didn't know if you'd want me to be present if it's accessing your personal memories," Hades said. "So I have a fail-safe built in so this can all be done privately for you. Of course, if you want me here, I want to be here for you and I will gladly be your spotter, of sorts." 

"You goof," she smiled. "Of course I want you here. You know, you can be so smart one minute and then so oblivious the next." 

"My apologies, sweetness," he flushed. 

She pulled him in for a kiss. "Don't apologize for being so damn cute and thoughtful. Now, how do we get this going?" 

"Right, so I'm going to go over into that room and get the control panel fired up. I will stay in there for the duration of the simulation, so you won't have to worry about me being too close, but I will still be able to watch everything going on with you and jump in if you need me." 

"How do we decide what to simulate?" she asked. "I don't even know where to begin." 

"Well, like I said, I might not start with Apollo. That seems like it could be too advanced for a first go around with the simulator," Hades said. "Is there someone--another being--that you think could trigger an intense--but manageable--reaction for that force inside you." 

Persephone glanced down, embarrassment flooding her face. Quietly, she said, "Maybe my mother." 

Hades nodded, not pushing the goddess to share more. "Sure, we can do that. I think that seems like a good place to start. I know there's some hurt there for you. I just want to make sure--you are okay with me seeing whatever happens here? It's okay to say no." 

"I promise, I am fine," she said, looking up at him and forcing a bright smile. "I don't want secrets from you anyway." 

"Okay," he kissed her cheek. "I'm right over here. If it's not working or you need to stop, just shout and I'll see what we can do to fix it." 

"I'll be fine, baby," she replied, her smile softening. 

"I know, I know," he sighed with a grin as he jogged over to the control room. 

Persephone took a deep breath as she prepared for the simulation to begin. She didn't know what to expect, but knowing Hades, whatever he had created was no doubt flawless, and she felt nervous at the thought of facing her mother after months of not seeing her. The distance had been necessary--both were struggling to understand the other and she knew that--but also difficult. A thousand confusing thoughts and feelings swirled in her mind as she remembered their last argument--the broken greenhouse glass--the seething stare of anger and then horror coming from her mother as the wrath inside of her took over. She'd done so much work to forget those feelings, to try to put her love for her mother first rather than the bitter arguments they'd had about her growing up and wanting to leave the safety of her mother's paradise, but she was now about to knowingly bring all of that confusion out before her eyes, and in front of Hades. 

An earlier Persephone might have been afraid of what Hades would see. She might have taken him up on his offer to leave her alone to deal with this, to keep her ugliness hidden. But so strong was her faith in their bond, their unconditional love for one another, that she wanted him to see her metaphorical scars, just as he had shared his own. Every single part of him was beauty incarnate to her, and she had realized after all they'd been through, he felt the same. They were each other's fate; their essences intertwined from the moment they met, and she wanted him to know every single part of her. 

Her thoughts distracted her from the changing environment around her. She didn't immediately notice when the gray room transformed into a beautiful field of flowers covered by a clear blue sky, or that her own leggings and tank top seemed to disappear from her body, instead replaced by a long white chiton, and her hair tied back in a ponytail now flowed down her back in a long braid, a flower crown adorning her brow. 

In fact, she was so absorbed in her own musings it wasn't until a familiar feminine voice called out her name that realized that they had begun. 

"Kore!" her mother's panicked call echoed around her. 

Persephone blinked and looked ahead, seeing her mother running toward her, draped in a glorious purple gown. The next time she spoke, relief filled her tone. "Oh thank Gaia, Kore, I was looking for you everywhere. Where have you been." 

"I--I'm sorry mama," she stuttered in amazement. "I didn't mean to make you worry." 

"That's alright dear," Demeter said. "Come with me, I have something to show you." 

The elder goddess took her daughter's hand and led her through the field. Persephone looked around herself in awe as the surroundings around her changed as her mother led her further along until they reached a big glass greenhouse, just like the one Demeter had gifted her on the day of their big fight. 

"What do you think?" Demeter asked, a smile spreading across her face. 

"Amazing," Persephone breathed. 

"Oh, I'm so glad you like it!" Demeter replied. "Come, let's have a closer look, shall we?" 

Demeter tugged on her arm, but Persephone stood her ground, remembering what had happened the last time. 

"Kore, what's wrong?" Demeter asked. "Don't you want to see your new gift?" 

Persephone shook her head, taking a few steps back. "No, I know what you're doing, and I won't go in there again." 

"Again?" Demeter asked, her tone changing from sweet to irritated. "What are you talking about?" 

"You're going to try to lock me in there," Persephone said, stepping back a bit further. "To keep me from going to Olympus. To keep me away from the world. Because you think I'm a monster. I won't do it. Not again." 

"Kore, this is for your protection," Demeter said. "I've told you a thousand times why going to Olympus is not good for you. I know you want to explore new places. That's why I made this for you." 

"It's not a new place, Mama!" she cried, heat rushing to her face. "It's a prison! I'm not going!" 

"Listen to me, Kore," Demeter said harshly. "You are MY daughter. MY child. You do not know enough of the world to know its horrors. I do. And after what happened with you last little temper tantrum? You are lucky that your mother cares enough to keep you here. To keep you safe from Zeus. You've seen what he's capable of." 

"I know, Mama, but--" 

"No buts! I tried to do this nicely, but I will not let you throw your future away,. Now come." Demeter grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the greenhouse. 

"Mama, no! Don't you get it? I've already gone to Olympus. We've already had this fight," Persephone said. "And mama, I've met--well, I've met the most wonderful being. He's my, my partner. We share a soul bond and we've gotten--" 

Demeter turned around quickly, twisting Persephone's arm as she moved. The goddess yelped, feeling real pain. "How do you know about soul bonds? What have you been reading?" Demeter demanded. "Did Hecate give you a magic book when she was visiting?" 

"No, Mama, I'm trying to tell you. I went to Olympus. And the Underworld. And I met Hades and we're in love." 

"Hades?!" Demeter screeched. Still tightly gripping Persephone's wrist with one hand, Demeter raised the other and swung, her hand leaving a stinging red impression on Persephone's cheek. "I told you to leave well enough alone with Hades. And now not only have you defied my wishes and gone to see him, but now you're telling me you're in love with him? You are an ungrateful brat." 

Demeter slapped her again, bringing tears to Persephone's face. "How can you be so naive, Kore? After everything we've talked about. Everything I've taught you. Have you ever seen a good man?" 

"I've barely seen any men, thanks to you!" Persephone cried, her eyes glowing red as the familiar rage crept into her. 

"And you should feel lucky," Demeter retorted. "You've seen Zeus's cruelty. You experienced the unwanted advances of Ares. And I know you think I haven't seen it, but I know you've talked with Hermes and I've seen him leering at you. Men are not to be trusted." 

"Just because you couldn't find a man to love you doesn't mean I can't!" Persephone felt her vines growing from behind her. 

And the voice--the force inside her--it was calling. 

_Yes, Kore, let me out. Let me show her what we can do._

"I can't," Persephone said out loud, trying to blink away the rage. 

If Demeter heard Persephone's response to the temptress inside her mind, she didn't acknowledge it. "How dare you!" she cried, smacking her daughter again. "Your insolence will not be tolerated around here anymore, Kore. It's time you started to see some consequences for your actions." 

"Please don't do this. Please don't lock me away," Persephone begged. "I can't promise I won't hurt you." 

"And now you're threatening me?" Demeter questioned. "I am ashamed to call you my daughter." 

"Then maybe you shouldn't have had a daughter!" Persephone shouted. "Please, let me go while you still can." 

_I can make her let you go._

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't have had a child at all," Demeter said, overpowering Persephone and finally dragging her to the greenhouse, where she threw the goddess of spring to the ground. 

_Let me make her regret her words._

"Please," Persephone said as she began glowing red, tears in her eyes. "You're making a mistake." 

"No," Demeter said haughtily. "You are the mistake." 

"No!" Persephone cried, her body splayed and floating upward as she glowed red, vines emanating from her entire being. The air around her swirled, a dizzying cloud of dirt and plants circling her as she looked down at a shocked Demeter on the ground below. 

The simulated environment started flickering around her as did the representation of Demeter, glitching between the projected image of the goddess and the burlap figure on wheels. Hades voice calmly spoke her name into her ear, but she ignored it. When she spoke again, it was with two voices. 

"You will never talk to me that way again," Persephone shouted. "No one will ever talk to me that way again." 

Hades tried once again to reach her. This time, she grabbed the earpiece and threw it to the ground. The simulated background faded away. 

Hades rushed out of the control room, standing on the ground before her. The force of her anger had torn the roof from above, and the light from outside shown down on her as her hair and vines whipped violently in the tempest she created around herself. 

"Kore," Hades called out to her. "Kore, please, come back to me. I'm right here." 

"Sorry, Kore is not here right now," she bellowed to him, smirking as her vines snaked their way to him and wrapped around his arms. "Only Persephone." 


	21. Chapter 21

The vines tightened around Hades arms. He braced himself for the cut of the thorns, but no blood was drawn. He looked down and noticed that unlike with the encounter with Minthe, these vines had no thorns. 

"Persephone, please," he said calmly. "You don't want to hurt me." 

She smiled serenely and glided toward him, a glint in her glowing red eyes as she edged closer. "Of course I don't want to hurt you, Hades," she purred. "There are much more fun ways I'd rather spend time with you." 

The goddess unzipped the still-restrained Hades's track jacket, letting it lazily fall open and reveal a thin white tank top covering his torso. She moved gingerly toward him, nibbling on his collar bone and moving her mouth to his ear to whisper, "You wanted me to take control, didn't you?" 

Hades coughed to cover his wanting. "That, ahem, isn't what I meant," he said. 

"But it's a worthwhile interpretation of your desires isn't it, my king," she replied, running her hand down his chest. 

He stifled a small moan before regaining his composure. "Maybe we should talk about what just happened with the simulation." 

She rolled her eyes and turned away from the king, still maintaining her control. Lazily, she whipped another vine toward the now-broken training dummy that bore her mother's image not so long ago. "Sorry I broke your toy," she said as she held up the dummy before tossing it aside. 

"Kore, you know that's not what I'm talk--" 

She shot back around. "I told you, it's Persephone," she hissed. "Your precious Kore is unavailable. Please don't leave a message and stop calling her." 

"I'm sorry, Persephone, I should respect what you've asked me to call you," Hades said softly. "But I thought you said to me before that this isn't a different being, just another side of you." 

"So what if it is?" she huffed. "Maybe I should be Persephone all the time. Seems like a much more suitable queen for you, doesn't it? 'The bringer of death'? 'Dread queen'? You know I could wipe out a thousand mortals in three seconds? I've actually done it before, too. After that lovely little encounter with the Barley Bitch you saw a recreation of." 

"I've never had any doubt of your strength, Persephone," Hades replied, noticing her grip on him loosening. He continued to speak soothingly. "And I like this side of you just as much as any other. I don't want you to think you have to be a certain way for me." 

Her expression softened. "You do?" Snapping herself out of it, a scowl crossed her face again. "Then why don't you want to have fun with me now?" 

"I just think it's important that we talk about what's happened, that's all," Hades said. "Do you want to tell me more about that day? With your mother?" 

The vines around his arms tightened once more, joined now by a third tendril wrapping around his entire torso. Persephone lifted him several feet off the group. "Stop trying to play therapist with me, Hades. I'm not a child. I don't need this. Why don't we talk about your issues, huh? Tell me how you got your scars." 

"Persephone, you already know how I got my scars," he murmured. "But I don't mean to force the issue." 

"Good," she muttered. "Because who wants to talk about the over-bearing mother that didn't know how to deal with her wild daughter? Her uncontrollable little demon? So she locked her away anytime it was inconvenient. Sometimes for months at a time. All under the rouse of 'protecting her little girl.' But she'd pick and she'd pick until I couldn't help it. I tried so many times to tell her to stop. But she wouldn't listen. I wasn't allowed friends that she didn't designate as companions. I couldn't go anywhere without her supervision. And anytime new powers would manifest she wouldn't let me even go outside. She blamed every bad thing that happened on me. I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't want to hurt anybody."

"That sounds really hard," Hades soothed. 

Persephone scoffed. "I don't need your pity." 

"Have you ever talked about this with anyone else before?" he asked. 

She laughed coldly. "Yes, me and all the friends I wasn't allowed to have spoke at length about all the nights I cried myself to sleep against a locked door." 

She slowly let him down closer to the ground, his feet now floating inches above the surface as she stared bitterly past him. 

"Persephone, I'd like you to let me go, now," he said softly. 

"I'm sure you would," she rolled her eyes. "But why should I let you go? You need to fix up your little pretend world?" 

He shook his head. "I just want to hold you. I can't really do that with my arms tied up." 

The red left her eyes just long enough for her to whisper, "What?" 

The moment was interrupted by Hades phone ringing loudly from his pocket. Persephone hoisted him in the air once more, the crimson color returning to her eyes. 

"Are you sure it isn't just to answer your phone?" she snapped. 

"Persephone, come on," he said over the ringing. "You know that's not me, especially not with you." 

The phone rung a few more times before a silence hung in the air between them. Persephone admittedly felt most of the heat of her anger fading from her body and could feel this part of herself fading from her conscious. The ringing of the phone resumed, fanning her annoyance and giving her more fuel before she faded completely. 

"Who the fuck is calling you?" she demanded, loosening a tendril from Hades's body to pull the phone from his pocket. She brought it to her face and read the caller ID. She crinkled her nose at Zeus's photo flashing on the screen before snapping the device in half and tossing it behind her. She looked back to him, searching for other things to keep her power just a little longer. "And why are you so calm through this? I still could hurt you, you know." 

"I know," he said, maintaining his composure. "But you already showed your hand earlier when you told me you didn't want to do that. I know what you're feeling. Your anger comes from pain. That's an experience I'm all too familiar with." 

"Stop...being...nice," she said through gritted teeth. "I want to be like this. You wanted to bring this out in me. Here I am. Let me stay." 

"I wanted to help you understand this part of you," Hades replied. "You won't go anywhere, Persephone. You'll always be you, no matter if your pain is in the driver's seat or not." 

"I'm not as powerful without this," she protested. In truth, her strength was fading fast. She watched as Hades floated back down, his feet finally touching the ground. 

"Of course you are," Hades said. "Kore, Persephone, call yourself what you want, but it's all _you_.

The vines untangled from Hades arms as the goddess's eyes returned to their normal color. Hades rushed forward and caught her as she fell into him, weeping. 

"I'm sorry I'm like this," she cried, burrowing deeper into his grasp. 

He stroked her hair lovingly. "Never apologize for being the strongest person in the room." 


	22. Chapter 22

Hades pulled Persephone tighter against him as the two lay in bed together, still in their training clothes. Hades had carried her up to their room as the weeping goddess shook with tears. She clung to him, taking comfort in his protective arms wrapped tightly around her until her sobs subsided and her breaths slowed and matched the even tempo of his. A calming silence sat around them as husband and wife drew strength from simply being in the presence of the other. 

After some time had passed, Persephone was the first to speak. 

"I'm sorry I exploded like that," she said. "I should have warned you. I just--didn't think it was going to be so real." 

Hades shook his head. "No apologies necessary, sweetness," he replied softly. "We were trying to draw out your anger. I'm sorry for not better preparing you for what to expect and letting it escalate to the point it did."

"I like that you trust me to take care of myself," she murmured. "I've never felt that from anyone before. Such complete trust." 

She tilted her face up to his, wordlessly asking for a kiss. He acquiesced, allowing his lips to softly part hers as he tenderly conveyed his love for her. His arms wrapped even more tightly as he pulled her into him. As she pulled away, Persephone experienced the familiar feeling of breathlessness after a dizzyingly passionate kiss with her love. She nuzzled into him once more. 

"I say we stop apologizing and just enjoy being together a bit longer," Hades said, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I am so fortunate to have my favorite being in all the realms as my wife. That's a happy feeling I want to indulge for a bit, if you don't mind." 

Persephone smiled serenely. "Okay, handsome," she chirped before her face shifted. "Though I do have one more apology. I'm sorry for breaking your phone. That wasn't very nice of me." 

Hades laughed. "'S okay, little goddess. I can get a new one." 

The worry left her visage as she snuggled in to him again. "What do you think Zeus wanted? He kept calling. Seemed urgent." 

"I have no id--oh shit," Hades demeanor changed rapidly and he gently extricated himself from her arms to stand. "Sweetness, can I borrow your phone to call him back? I'm sorry to do this, it won't take long." 

Persephone sat up to look at him. "Of course you can. Is everything okay?" 

"Yes, it's all fine, I just forgot I had promised to let him know when you were awake so we could get the last ingredient of the potion to Hecate," he said. "By the way, what would that be? An object of great importance to you? I hope you've had time to think about this; I didn't mean to spring it on you this way." 

"No, no, it's fine. I had been thinking about it before we came here," she said. "There's--there's a shard of glass. It was in my desk drawer. It's from the first version of what you saw earlier today. When mama tried to keep me in the greenhouse. That was a--complicated--day but it's what led to me coming to Olympus. It's what led to me finding you." 

The panic on Hades face moved to tender affection. "Gods, you really are incredible. Where's your phone, baby?" 

"It's downstairs. Kitchen counter." 

"Do you have a passcode?" 

Persephone wrinkled her nose. "Passcode?" 

Hades smiled warmly. "I'll take that as a no." He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll be right back." 

______________________________________________

Hades scanned the kitchen for a moment before seeing Persephone's phone laying next to the sink. He picked it up and observed the cracked screen. "I'll have to get her a better one when I get mine," he noted to himself before dialing Zeus. 

After a few rings, his brother picked up. "Ahoy, Ahoy," Zeus greeted. "This is Zeus." 

"Zeus, it's Hades," he replied. "I'm on Persephone's phone." 

"Well it's about time you called," Zeus said. "What happened to your phone?" 

"Long story," Hades said. "Anyway, I talked to Persephone--she's awake now, by the way--and she told me that there's a shard of glass in her desk drawer that is her important object. Did you see anything like that?" 

"I think so," Zeus said. "I'll take a look and get it to Hecate. But Hades, there's something--" 

"Great, thank you so much," Hades interrupted. "I really appreciate your help in all this. And I'm sorry to be so brief, but Persephone--" 

"I do need to tell you--" 

"She's had a bit of a hard day and I need to get back to her--" 

"Demeter came to see me." 

Hades paused. "How did it go?" 

"About as well as you'd expect a visit with Demeter to go when you tell her that her daughter is at an unreachable location and she can't speak with her," Zeus sighed. "But, Hades, I have to tell you, Persephone isn't as innocent as she appears." 

Hades rolled his eyes. "It's okay, Zeus, I know about her great strength." 

"It's not just that," Zeus replied, a hint of panic in his voice. "Hades, Demeter told me some pretty alarming things about Persephone. And I'm worried about you." 

"Zeus, thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine," Hades said. "And as for my Persephone, there is nothing to be concerned about." 

"Hades, I don't think you're hearing me. That girl flies into a blind rage and has no self-control. Look, I get the attraction. Crazy chicks are crazy hot, but she's decimated thousands of mortals. I'm still mulling over how to respond to what I've learned from Demeter. They'll both need to be punished for keeping this from me," Zeus said. 

"Brother," Hades growled. "With all due respect, that is my wife. It's insulting for you to think I don't know her well enough to know her great strength--and believe me, it is awe-inspiring. She is not 'crazy' or in need of punishment for her powers. And if you lay one finger on her or try to confine her, I promise you will regret it." 

"Hades, I-I'm sure you do know her well, and hey, I'm fond of the little spitfire myself," Zeus back-peddled. "But you know that unregistered acts of wrath need to be punished. And the fact remains that she is a wild card." 

"Persephone is not dangerous! Instead of questioning my wife's intentions, maybe focus on punishing the people who abused her," Hades shouted. "I'm done having this conversation. I will call Hecate and let her know you have the final ingredient fo the potion. And I won't trouble the king of gods for his help again." 

Hades hung up the phone in a huff and slammed it to the counter. A tiny squeak from behind him startled him. He turned around to see Persephone looking at him, eyes wide. His anger softened into concern. 

"How long were you listening, little goddess?" he asked quietly. 

"Long enough to know my husband really believes in me," she said. "You know, Hades, you say a lot that you are lucky to have met me. While I agree there's a great deal of favor surrounding our connection, I must say, I'm the lucky one--to have met a man who so fiercely and unconditionally loves me and fights for me. What have I done to deserve you?" 

"I'm sorry about Zeus. I think his heart's in the right place, but he's blinded by ego," Hades said. 

"I thought we said no more apologies, just enjoying each other?" Persephone half smiled. "Why don't we just go sit on the couch and read and pretend we're normal for a bit?"

"Lead the way." 


	23. Chapter 23

"So what did Zeus say?" Apollo asked as Demeter strode toward he and Hestia waiting in the entry way. 

"He'll call me when Hera and Kore return," Demeter responded coolly. "In the meantime, I have some errands I'd like to complete. Let's pay a visit to Artemis, shall we?" 

Hestia opened the door for Demeter and scurried after her. "What do you want to talk with Artemis about?" she asked nervously. 

"I get the feeling Zeus is leaving out some key information about what's happened to my daughter, and I'd like to see what Artemis has to say about Hera's visit," Demeter replied. "Come on, now. Let's go." 

________________________

Artemis watched anxiously out the window as Hestia, Apollo and Demeter approached the buidling. 

"Sweet Gaia, what is he doing with them?" she bemoaned aloud as their paces drew closer and closer until they disappeared inside. It wasn't long before she heard a familiar knock and went to answer Hestia's light rapping at the door. 

She feigned surprise as she opened it. "Hestia, good as always to see you back. And Demeter, it's an honor, and truly a surprise to see my b-brother with you. How have you two come to meet?" 

Apollo flashed his signature cocky grin. "It's okay, sis, Demeter knows everything. She knows that Hades is the one behind Persie's troubles." 

"Does she, now?" Artemis said, trying to keep her cool. "Great. Well, please, do come in." 

Artemis ushered the trio to her sofa and gestured for them to sit and asked if they'd like anything from the kitchen. While Hestia and Apollo took her up on the offer, Demeter remained standing. 

"That's very sweet of you dear, but I'm afraid we won't be here long. I just wanted to gather some of Kore's things and ask you a few questions about Hera's visit," Demeter said. 

"Oh, uh, sure," Artemis said. "Well, no sense in all of us going to Perse's room. Hestia, Apollo, please make yourselves at home. You know the place well enough. Demeter, her room is this way." 

"Sure you don't need help?" Apollo asked. 

"Apollo, even if Kore isn't here, it's still a bit uncouth for a young man to enter her bedroom," Demeter chastised. "We'll be back in a minute." 

Apollo blinked away the look of mixed dumbfounded shock and irritation and nodded blankly as the two women walked down the hall. Artemis opened the door for Demeter, allowing her to enter before quickly following behind and sealing them off from the pair in the living room. 

"Demeter, I know you don't have much time but there's something you should know about Apollo," Artemis started. 

"That he took advantage of my daughter? Yes, I already know that," Demeter said, annoyance in her tone. "I thought you said this was Kore's room. Where are her things?" 

Artemis stared back at her, struggling to find her words for a moment. "He-Hera took her things when she came to take her to the spa. She doesn't have much here. I thought Zeus would have let you know during your meeting with him," she said hurriedly. "But I'm sorry, you said you know about Apollo? Why is he here with you? Why didn't you have Zeus deal with him." 

Demeter gave Artemis' cheek two swift pats. "He's of use to me right now. That's all, dear. He'll be dealt with when the time is right. So tell me more about this meeting with...Hera. Or was it Hades?" 

Artemis's heart beat quickened. "H-Hades is unable to enter this domain, ma'am. When Kore first took ill, we took precautions to make sure he couldn't enter the building. It was Hera and Eros who came to tend to Persephone and took her. They told me Hera would be taking her to her private spa. That's really all I know." 

"But what did she say to you? How did she seem?" 

Artemis shrugged. "She seemed like Hera. Regal. A little sad. A little angry. She just said that she was worried for Persephone and felt that she had let her down by not coming to see her sooner." 

"But you're sure there wasn't anything else?" Demeter asked. "Think. Hard." 

"I'm sorry, but no. Her visit was very brief." 

Demeter paused for a moment to look her up and down then sighed. "Fine. I was hoping this visit would be more useful. If you remember anything else, call me. Hestia will send you my number." 

Demeter turned to leave the room. 

"Demeter," Artemis called after her, causing the elder goddess to pause for a moment and turn back to face her. "I want to help Persephone. I really do. She's my friend."

"I'll remember that," Demeter said before leaving the confused goddess behind. 

__________________________________

Outside the domicile, Hestia inched up close to Demeter while Apollo was distracted saying his goodbyes to Artemis. 

"Did you find out anything more?" she asked quietly. 

"Nothing of importance," Demeter muttered. "But I think it's time we pay a visit to our friends in the Underworld." 

"Demeter are you sure?" Hestia asked in a hushed tone. "You and Hades did not exactly leave things on the best terms the last time you talked. I'd hate for there to be an incident between the two of you." 

"Hestia, I'm perfectly capable of maintaining my pleasant demeanor," Demeter shot back in a whisper. "As for a seen, well, that's what the boy's for. Maybe if we're lucky the two idiots will take each other down. And besides, it's the fastest way to find out if this story about Hera's spa has any merit or if the King of the Underworld has absconded with my daughter." 

Apollo moved up closer behind the two. "What are we talking about?" he asked. 

"We're going to the Underworld, Apollo," Demeter said, walking ahead and motioning for the two others to follow. "It's time Hades and I had a little chat about his relationship with my daughter." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short after my unplanned hiatus, but don't worry, another chapter is coming this week! Thank you for continuing to stick with me!


	24. Chapter 24

The disruption from the nymph rapping at her office door made Hecate roll her eyes as she minimized the file she had been working on. 

"Yes, what is it?" she called with a sigh, cueing the young being to cautiously open the door. 

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am, it's just there are some gods here asking for Hades and they say it's quite urgent. I told them he was unavailable on sabbatical like you asked me to, but they are insisting on speaking to him and they began talking about visiting his personal residence, which I know you said he wouldn't--" 

"Stop rambling and send them in," Hecate said, logging out of her user profile and coming to stand on the other side of the desk. The nymph nodded and hurried out the door. Hecate took a deep breath as she leaded back, propping herself up against the edge of her desk. She'd expected Demeter to come by sooner or later, but this was a little earlier than she'd predicted. 

"Figures Zeus couldn't pass off a convincing cover story," she muttered to himself. "How that man thinks he's sneaky about any of his conquests is beyond me." 

Luckily, he had called her two days before with the good news that Persephone was awake and had shared the final ingredient for the potion, which was now brewing safely at Hecate's home. They just needed some time. She'd looked for any catalyzing agents that might speed up the process, but to no avail. The magic was too old and unpredictable; adding anything to the brew would make it entirely too unstable and could potentially wreak havoc on Hades and Persephone. They would just need to stay in the hideout for a little while longer. But with Demeter breaking down the door, it seemed that time was not on their side. 

Hecate wasn't surprised to see Hestia in tow, ever the faithful coattail rider of the goddess of agriculture, but she did have to swallow her shock at seeing Phoebus Apollo also following faithfully behind, a smug look on his face as he glanced around her office, taking everything in. 

"This is supposed to be a nice office?" he scoffed. "I knew everything in the Underworld was second-rate compared to Olympus, but this is practically a sewer. How do you get anything done here, Hecate?" 

"Hell of way to make an entrance when you're demanding time with the boss," Hecate said, unruffled. "I hope your Mommys are taking good care of you on baby's big day in the city." 

A haze of yellow flashed before Apollo's eyes but Demeter put up a hand to silence him. "Hecate, I'm sorry about the boy. He's just understandably concerned about our Kore. It is good to see you again, though. Have you reconsidered coming to work for me?" 

Hecate smiled. "It's tempting, Demeter. Your realm is gorgeous, but the Underworld is just...home. And you know if I left Hades, this place would fall apart." 

"And wouldn't that be a pity," Demeter smiled. "Speaking of the man in charge, where is he? Your receptionist said he's on sabbatical. I've never known that workaholic to take a day off in his life." 

Hecate matched Demeter's fake grin with one of her own. "You know him well. It's a research project of his own into volcanic activity into the mortal realm. I'm surprised you didn't run into him on the way here." 

"You know the mortal realm, so vast we often miss each other, even as we're crossing paths," Demeter said. "It is odd, though, that he didn't notify me before this little excursion of his began. Generally speaking, gods or goddesses entering my realm come to see me to let me know of their business. It's just good faith." 

"Perhaps he is at your estate while you are here. Wouldn't that be a funny bit of irony?" 

"Yes," Demeter said, finally dropping her smile. "Hilarious. Quite convenient that he's out of the realm at the same time Kore is visiting home, isn't it?" 

Hecate crinkled her nose in pretend confusion. "She's home? Then why are you here? I heard that she was very ill. Hestia informed me that she wouldn't be able to complete the remainder of her internship here with us, which is a real pity. You've got quite an impressive daughter, Demeter. She was doing some great work for us. I think Hades was even considering offering her a full time position once she finished school, if she was interested." 

"I can assure you Kore will not be working here again. The internship was a miscalculation, and I'm afraid it's part of the reason for my visit," Demeter replied. "It's come to my attention that Hades could have been pressuring Kore while she was here, perhaps trying to seduce her?" 

Hecate laughed out loud. "Come on Demeter, you can't be serious. You and I both know Hades is not seductive. Maybe subtly charming when his overthinking doesn't get in the way, but I sincerely doubt his ability to, as you say, 'seduce' a smart girl like Persephone." 

"Yes, but it does seem he's taken an interest in her, wouldn't you say?" Demeter questioned. 

"I think that's because of you," Hecate countered. "He wanted to make sure the daughter of an old friend was taken care of while in his realm. It's just the kind thing to do." 

Demeter pursed her lips. "Well, at any rate, I'd still like to see him. I'm sure he won't be spending too much time _investigating volcanoes_. Perhaps the three of us should go to his estate and see if he's come home yet? We could always wait for him to return." 

Hecate continued to hold her flawless poker face. "Now don't be silly, Demeter, you don't need to waste your time," Hecate said. "How about I give you a call whenever I hear from him? Then you and I--and your little welcoming committee here, if you'd like--can all go visit the king together. Sound good? Besides, if you go there without warning, Cerberus might eat you alive." 

"Right, well," Demeter said. "Do try to get in contact with him soon. I don't like to be kept waiting, especially considering Kore's current condition." 

"Well now that she's in your care, I'm sure she'll be better in no time," Hecate said, sickeningly sweet kindness dripping from her voice. "I'm sorry to cut our visit short, but I'm afraid I do have a lot to do with Hades indisposed. Shall I see you out?" 

______________________________________________

They had barely exited the building before Apollo started with his barrage of conspiracy theories. 

"Something is definitely going on, here," he began. "Why is Hades out of town at the same time Perse is at Hera's spa?" 

"Yes, that is the concern here," Demeter said through her thinly veiled impatience. 

"Maybe it is just an oddly timed coincidence," Hestia said nervously. "Hecate did seem to believe you when you said Kore was home." 

"Hecate is smart, Hestia, you know that, and a damn good liar, but I can tell, she knows something she's not sharing," Demeter huffed. 

"Don't you think maybe we're taking this just a bit too far?" Hestia asked meekly. "You're at odds with Zeus, here, Demeter. That won't be good for you." 

"Please, that overblown buffoon has pissed off more gods than I can count. If we need to go against him, I'm sure we could find supporters," she scoffed. "Nothing will stop me from protecting my daughter. Apollo understands. Isn't that right, Apollo?" 

For the first time, his cocky demeanor had shifted, and the cracks of nervousness were beginning to show through. For as much crowing and preening as he did, the young god still deeply revered Zeus, and worried his reputation would suffer if he challenged him. Still, this was no time to go against Demeter; they were so close to taking down Hades. He could feel it. He took a deep breath. "Right." 

"Good, glad we're all on the same page," Demeter affirmed. 

"So are we going to Hades's place?" Apollo asked. 

"No. If he's there, no doubt Hecate's already called him and tipped him off about our visit and he's had time to hide anything suspicious," she said. "Give it a day or so. When his guard is down, we'll step in. For now, Apollo, you may go home. I'll call you when we're ready." 

Apollo nodded and stood with the goddesses in silence for a moment. 

"I said you may go," Demeter said. 

"Right, sorry," Apollo replied. In a moment, he had fizzed away. 

Hestia sighed. "Demeter, come on. This needs to stop. Wherever Kore is, she must be okay. She hasn't had any outbursts. We would know by now. And Zeus knows you're looking for her. She's going to have to come back soon, wherever she is. Can't we just solve this diplomatically?" 

Demeter laughed coldly. "You, who held my daughter against her will when you suspected something of Hades instead of CALLING ME now think that we can just what, let him go? Keep her hostage? I'm sure he has her, Hestia, and you're to blame. If you would have just notified me, I could have kept her safe." 

"I know, I messed up," Hestia said. "I thought I was doing her a favor by allowing her to stay here. I thought I was managing her outbursts." 

"You thought you were holding onto my money," Demeter countered. "We've had this conversation before and I won't have it again. If you are not behind me, please feel free to leave at any time." 

"You know what, that's the most sensible thing you said all day," Hestia said, turning away. "I'm done following you around and doing your bidding. And you know what? I'm sorry for what I did to Kore. If she loves Hades, I hope she's with him. I hope they are happy together. I've believed you when you told me things about her conception and her difficulties, but maybe the only difficulty in her life is you." 

Demeter rushed to cut off Hestia and slapped her across the face. "You ungrateful--" 

"What am I supposed to be grateful for? A friend who decided it was easier to buy me off than treat me with respect? I accepted your bribery, and that's on me, but I can't do this anymore. I will not stand behind you while you try to start some war against the kings. This is destructive behavior, Demeter. Where has your sense gone? I've never known you to be this way," she shouted. 

Demeter raised her hand again, but this time Hestia caught it, stopping her motion. "If you try to hit me again, so help me gods--" 

Demeter pulled her hand away and brushed her arms against her tunic. "You're right. I've become carried away," Demeter said calmly. "I'm sorry. It's just my daughter could be in trouble, Hestia. She could be hurt. Don't you understand, I can't allow that to happen." 

"I know," Hestia replied softly. "But you're not making it any better for either one of you going on a tear like this. Can you do me a favor and just relax? Wait until Hecate calls and figure out how to go from there." 

Demeter nodded. "Yes, I think you're right. That would be best. I'm going to go home. Take some time to myself. I'll see you when I get back?" 

Hestia smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Do you want me to accompany you on your journey back." 

Demeter shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, but I'd just like some space to clear my head. You go ahead home." 

"Alright. Call me if you need anything," Hestia said. She squeezed Demeter's hand and slowly fizzed away. 

Demeter sighed. After a moment, she took her phone out of her pocket and started typing a text to Apollo. 

_Hestia's out. Looks like it's just the two of us. I'll see you at Hades's tomorrow afternoon._


	25. Chapter 25

Hades smiled softly as Persephone reached for his hand, her legs lazily draped over his sitting on the facsimile of the couch in his home--their home. 

She hadn't said anything since she led him to the perch and let their bodies relax into the cushions. He appreciated that she understood that he wasn't always up for talking, but he was certainly perpetually grateful for her company. She made him feel safe and loved. He only hoped he returned the favor for his new wife, even when his best laid plans went awry. 

Yesterday's training wasn't exactly what he had hoped for. He wondered if he was too close to the situation to truly help her, or if it was a foolish heroic delusion to even think that he could contribute anything that would bring Persephone closer to understanding herself. Much of what she had to learn would come from self-actualization and learning to trust her instincts, which the glimpse he'd had into her relationship with her mother showed had likely been driven out of her while another being desperately grasped at control over her life. Was he doing the same thing? 

"You don't have to overthink it, Hades," she said quietly, as if reading his mind. "You are a wonderfully supportive partner. What you said to Zeus--I--well, I don't know what I did to deserve your faith but I hope I can continue to earn it."

Hades shook his head to wave away the intrusive thoughts. "You said something about pretending we're normal. Tell me, what does that look like? What are our lives in this alternate universe where we're normal?"

Persephone grinned. "Well, as I envision it, the first thing to go is our status. So you're not a king, I'm not the Barley Mother heiress. We just have non-assuming pasts where we grew up with parents who treated us well and loved us without condition so we're well-adjusted." 

"Uh-oh, I'm feeling a little out of my depth here," Hades chuckled. "I don't know if I can picture that." 

"Well you have to try," Persephone snickered, picking up a pillow from behind her and lazily hitting him in the chest with it. "We're normal, goddamnit." 

"Okay, okay," Hades said, putting his hands up in defense. "So what do we do then? If we're not fucked up products of our parents and social status?" 

"Well, you're still YOU, so you're a very prominent and wealthy jeweler. You make the finest jewelry in all the realms, and everyone comes to you for the most exquisite engagement rings that anyone has ever seen with such a high reputation that people say if the ring comes from Aidoneus, the answer is a yes," she said. 

"Wow, you're already come up with my marketing campaign. What about you, sweetness? What are you doing?" 

"Well I of course am a renowned florist and I make the most beautiful arrangements that are often given in conjunction with your jewelry. And so that's how we meet. We're both big on the wedding circuit," she said carefully. "But you were a little shy at first, and I didn't know you liked me, but I kept giving you snips of flowers that didn't make it into bouquets to hint to you that I was interested. And I didn't think you cared until one day I stop by your shop and see all the flowers I'd given you in a vase in your office. And that day you gave me a very pretty necklace with the gold twisted like petals and that's when I fall head over heels in love with you." 

"Hmm," he sighed, reaching to pull her into his chest and kissing the top of her head. "What about me? When do I fall in love with you." 

"Oh, from the first moment you saw me, obviously," she snuggled into him. "That's when you started making the necklace. And so we date and also become partners and we grow our businesses together and everyone talks about how well our jewelry and flowers go together. And when we get married, we have the prettiest wedding, and all of the clients we've helped in their own love stories come to celebrate ours. And everyone is happy and we get a sweet little house together that's covered in roses and ivy and is our private refuge from the rest of the world." 

"This sounds lovely, dear, but are you sure it's normal? Maybe a little bit charmed?" Hades whispered into her neck. 

"It's my story, so I get to tell it," she replied, twisting to face him. "What's your version?" 

"My version?" he paused to think. "I don't know. As long as you're there, I'm happy. I did quite like yours."

He gently kissed her, pausing to enjoy her sweet taste as he his lips lingered on hers a moment longer. 

"Come on, surely you're a better story teller than that," she teased. "What's our normal life, Hades?" 

"Well," he contorted his face to think. "I think that, um, we both live by the sea. And one day I'm walking and I see you for the first time. A-and so I introduce myself to you and I'm a little awkward but you find it funny in a charming sort of way and so we fall in love and we move in together and we raise a family. Is that okay?" 

Persephone giggled sweetly. "You don't have to ask me if it's okay! It's your story." She kissed him. "But yes. It's much more than okay. I liked it very much." 

Persephone sat up and repositioned herself, carefully placing her legs on either side of Hades's so she was straddling his lap. "If you'd like to get started on making that family, I think that's something we could bring into this reality." 

She leaned in, her lips crashing into his for a more aggressive kiss, communicating all her desire for him as her hands tip-toed under his shirt and explored his chest. A soft moan escaped his throat as the goddess pressed her body into him, silently requesting to eliminate all barriers between the two of them. He broke the connection between their mouths and pulled her hair aside, moving his lips to her neck as his hands trailed down her body to the waist of her pants, tugging firmly to answer her unspoken question. 

The moment was interrupted by the sound of Persephone's phone ringing. She groaned in disappointment. 

"Can't anyone just leave us alone for five minutes?" she whined. 

Hades smiled at the frustration that replaced her eagerness. "Well we better get it. Could be important." 

"Doubt it's more important than what we were in the middle of," she pouted. 

"Now, now, little goddess," Hades planted a kiss on her cheek as he gently moved her off of his lap and stood to answer the phone. "We'll have plenty of time to get back to that soon." 

He walked back to the kitchen where he'd left the phone on the counter to see Hecate's contact information. He called back to Persephone to ask her permission to answer, and after she granted it, he picked up the call. Before he could utter a greeting, Hecate spoke. 

"Finally one of you answered," she sighed. "I've tried Hades phone about 20 times." 

"Sorry, Hecate, we had a little accident the other day and I'm afraid my phone is out of commission. What's going on?" he asked. 

"Well, boss, we're running out of time here," she responded. "Demeter just came to visit." 

"You too? She was just with Zeus yesterday," Hades rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm guessing she didn't believe that Kore is with Hera?" 

Persephone joined Hades in the kitchen and motioned for him to put Hecate on speaker. He acquiesced and the two listened to her reply together. 

"She tried to get me to admit that Persephone is with you. Don't worry, I played it cool and didn't give anything away, but I don't think she bought it," Hecate sighed. "She's insisting on meeting with you." 

"Did you tell her I'm on sabbatical like we talked about?" 

"No, Hades, I'm a complete moron and forgot our entire plan," Hecate deadpanned. "Of course I told her that! She's still not on board. I told her I'd let her know when you're back in the realm but I think she may stop by the house for a surprise visit sometime soon and I think you'll need to be there--alone--to get her off your tail. Otherwise she'll just suspect you two ran off somewhere together. Apollo seems to be feeding her some kind of lies about the nature of your relationship." 

"What do you mean?" Persephone interjected. "Oh by the way, this is Persephone! You're on speaker phone! It's so good to hear from you, Hecate, I've missed you!" 

"It's nice to hear from you too, Persephone," Hecate replied. "But I'm afraid your mother has Apollo following her around along with Hestia as some sort of lackey. Their dynamic was very strange." 

"W-why would my mother be working with Apollo? Mama hates men, and he's definitely the blue print for the kind of men she hates," Persephone shivered. Hades put an arm around her to pull her closer to him, rubbing her shoulder for comfort. 

"I'm sorry, dear, I wish I had more answers for you, but all I can tell you now is that you need to stay hidden. If she finds you, I get the feeling you'll be dragged back to the mortal realm and put under house arrest, no questions asked. And it'll be a lot harder for us to get you back with us if that happens." 

Hades spoke. "When did you say she stopped by, Hecate?" 

"Earlier today," she responded. "I don't know how soon you can get back, but I tried to get her to hold off by telling her you'd probably be back in a few days time and that I'd call her to let her know when I next heard from you." 

Persephone shook her head. "Knowing Mama, that means she'll come by the house tomorrow. Won't do it today to give the appearance she's abiding by your request, but also wants to keep the element of surprise on her side and catch you off guard." 

"That's helpful information, Persephone," Hecate said. "Boss, think you can go back to the house the next few days alone and wait?" 

"I--I don't know, Hecate. We still don't have the potion ready, and I'd hate to leave Persephone alone to deal with symptoms of our separation," he said. "But it feels like I don't have much choice here, do I?" 

"I could always come with you," Persephone chimed in. "I don't even know where this pocket dimension we're in right now is at but honestly, I'm itching to get back to the Underworld anyway. I want to start our real lives." 

"Kore, you know that's not safe," Hades said softly. "I don't want to cause you pain, but I can't put you in danger and risk you being taken away." 

"They won't be able to take me away, Hades. You and I together are strong enough to take on my mom and Apollo and Hestia," she countered. 

"But we haven't even finished your training. What if you lose control?" 

"So what if I do? Probably be better for us anyway." 

"I know you don't mean that." 

"So now you presume to know what I mean?" 

"That's not what I--"

Hecate cleared her throat. "If you two could put this little argument on pause until I hang up, I would appreciate it. What you two decide to do is up to you, but just know that she's coming. I'm happy to help however I can. Let me know what I can do." 

"Yes, thank you so much, Hecate," Persephone said. "We'll keep you posted." 

She clicked off the call and turned back to Hades, taking a deep breath. "I have to face my mother." 

"Kore, I--I really don't think that's a good idea," he said, his eyes wide with concern. 

"Hades, it's not like you to try to make decisions for me. I don't like this," Persephone cautioned. 

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to, it's just that--I--I--" 

"You what, Aidoneus?" she asked, iciness edging into her tone.

"I can't lose you again, okay?" he shouted, taking her aback. "I know it was awful for both of us and I can't imagine what it was like for you to be trapped with Apollo during it--and I haven't wanted to be selfish but being without you is torture. Being unable to save you? Having to rely on someone else to do it for me--and knowing that I was the reason you were in a weakened state? Because of me a-and our bond? Fuck, Kore, I can't live with myself if that happens again. I can't be the reason you can't defend yourself. And you know if we're separated by Demeter that she will make sure I can't get to you. And what if--what if you're too weak to fight back? And it's all my fault?" 

"Baby, you can't put all that on yourself," she said quietly, pulling him in for a hug. "We both know we don't live in our perfect little bubble. All this--" she backed away, gesturing to the house around them. "it's not real. I so appreciate what you've done to protect me--to protect us--but we can't stay here forever." 

"I know, sweetness, but it's not forever, it's just a little while longer, please," he begged. 

She shook her head. "No, Aidoneus. I'm done hiding. Things have been accelerated and we just have to go with it. But I believe in you--and I believe in us." 

"But we haven't finished your training. We barely even got started. What if--" 

"No matter what happens, I'll have you. You bring me back, Aidoneus. Every time. It's you. I'm not afraid because I know no matter what happens, I'll have you," she smiled softly. "Can you continue to trust me?" 

"Of course," he breathed. 

"Then we have nothing to worry about," she said. "So let's go home." 


	26. Chapter 26

The house somehow seemed even larger as Persephone stepped through the threshold for the first time in months, its vastness emphasized by a feeling a emptiness due to the absence of the dogs (who were still staying with Hecate). Odd, she thought briefly, that even though she and Hades had been staying in a near exact replica of the home, the real thing felt so wholly different. 

She kicked off her shoes and took pleasure in her bare feet touching the cool floor. With the delight of a small child with an unlimited budget at a candy shop, she ran up to various furnishings, hugging the hallmarks of home. With each embrace of a throw pillow or appliance, the emptiness shrunk, and the space around her became what it seemed it was always meant to be: home. 

She barely noticed the bemused adoration on Hades face as she bounced from room to room, greeting each one cheerfully. When she reached the pool, she began shedding garments without a second thought. 

"Come on, let's go swimming!" she called to a blushing Hades who, even after so many times of enjoying the goddess's physical form, felt overwhelmed at the sight of it. Without waiting for his response, she jumped, a splash echoing behind her. 

"As fun as that sounds, sweetness, I think we should perhaps figure out what we're going to do when your mother arrives," he said slowly, picking up the trail of clothing she'd left behind and holding a hand toward her to pull her from the pool. 

She bobbed under the water and reemerged, sticking her tongue out at him. "You're no fun." 

"Alas, you're assessment is accurate. But I promise, I'll work on it when we can put all of this behind us." As Persephone took his hand and allowed him to pull her out of the pool, Hades screwed his face in thought before saying matter-of-factly, "You should probably have sex with me right now." 

Persephone laughed in spite of herself. "Excuse me?" 

Hades cheeks darkened. "Wh-what I meant is, you know, because of the soul bond a-and the effects, that to make sure you're--we're--at our--our best, it might be wise for us to, um..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought again. 

Persephone walked to him, still sopping wet from her brief swim, and stood on her tip toes to get closer to his height. "You're very adorable when you're flustered." She pulled him down to her for a kiss, their faces mere inches from each other. "Still, you might want to work on your delivery, though it's a request I'm happy to oblige." 

"I know, I did that all wro--" Persephone cut of his words as her lips met his. In a flash, her hands were tearing at his shirt buttons, clumsily urging them to abandon their purpose. After some fumbling, she succeeded, willing the shirt to float to the floor. She broke the kiss for a moment to smile against him, feeling his hot breath exiting his lungs in heavy bursts as his heart pounded in his now-exposed chest. 

Persephone let go of his neck, allowing him to straighten his posture for a moment as she planted a flurry of sweet kisses on his pecs before using her tongue to trace the patterns of his scars. The soft groan from her lover elicited a giggle from the goddess. Her hands wrapped around him, slowly exploring the chiseled muscles on his back. With her bare body pressed against him, she felt the bulge in his pants grow. Lightly, she brought one hand to the front, never allowing it to leave him. Her king shivered at her light touch. 

With the same care, her fingers danced around the waist of his trousers while her lips once again found his skin, this time massaging his collar bone. His impatience for her drew a whimper from his throat, encouraging her to tease him by sliding just the tips of her fingers beneath the elastic of his boxer briefs. She lingered here for a moment before backing away, much to his dismay. 

"I'll give you what you want if you give me what I want first," she whispered seductively. 

Hades cleared his throat. "And what's that, my love?" 

Her eyes flashed red for a moment before she responded with a grin. "Let's go swimming!" 

Before Hades had time to react, Persephone was once again jumping into the pool. This time, Hades' own eyes glowed a wicked red as he hurriedly kicked off the rest of his clothing and jumped in after her. Persephone squealed, seeing him follow, and began swimming toward the opposite end of the pool. With his long strokes, it wasn't long until he caught up with her and wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her toward him from behind as she laughed wildly. He hugged her close, putting his head over he shoulder so their faces were side by side. He gave her a quick squeeze and as there laughter subsided, he nuzzled against her. 

"You know, I do like being in the water with you. I like that it makes us the same height," he said softly. 

She spun around so they were both facing each other, treading water. "Easier on your back, old man?" she teased. 

He smiled. "Mhmm," he said, bringing a hand up from the depth to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Or, at least my neck." 

"Well we have to spare your neck," she purred, swimming closer to him. "Otherwise what am I going to kiss when I want to turn you to jelly?" 

She put her arms around him once more, nipping at his neck. Hades sighed dreamily. "I think you have plenty of options." 

She moved to kiss his lips, wrapping her legs around his. For a moment they lost bouyancy, dipping under the water and creating small waves around them. With one arm still wrapped around Persephone's back, Hades used his other to propel them to the surface again, able to reach out and steady themselves against the sides of the pool. 

"Maybe we should move this somewhere that we don't have to worry about possible drowning?" he said between breaths. 

Persephone shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like we'd die." 

"Yeah, but the lungs filling with water is a big pain, lingering burning sensation, I do not recommend," he replied. 

She let go of him and used her arms to push off the ledge and up to the side of the pool. "Fine. Hot tub it is." 

She tread lightly toward the neighboring smaller pool, but was stopped by a hand lightly grabbing her arm. Hades pulled her back, turning her once again to face him and pushing her against the cool tile wall behind her. "Forgive me, little goddess, but I'm getting tired of chasing you," he murmured standing over her. 

"Then what are you going to do about it?" she asked, a hint of defiance in her tone. 

Hades lifted her, keeping her back firmly against the wall but pulling her legs to wrap around him once more. He adjusted himself to push his cock into her entrance, earning a surprised gasp from Persephone at the welcome intrusion. 

"My gods, Hades, you could give me a bit of warning next time," she cooed as he moved rhythmically inside her. 

"Sorry, my love, should I stop?" he asked, pulling away. 

"Don't you fucking dare," she hissed, digging her nails into his back. 

"As you wish," he smirked, thrusting harder into her. His lips hungrily searched for hers as he enjoyed her sweet taste. Propping himself against the wall with once arm, he moved with methodical force, earning gasps and moans from his queen with each desperate movement. Even though it had only be a day since they last enjoyed each other, the events of the past 24 hours made it feel much longer, and each thrust served to release the anxieties that had built up as their bodies had been apart. 

Persephone light tapped his should to signal him to slow and let her down. As she slid down the wall and let her feet move below her, she said softly. "Can we go try more in the hot tub? I like seeing you all wet." 

Hades fought the urge to make a corny joke about how much he enjoyed when _she_ was wet and let her lead him there. They carefully entered the steamy waters. Persephone watched, biting her lip with her eyes fixed on Hades ass until he sat. She almost pouted as losing the view before quickly moving to his lap, stradling him carefully. His hand moved to the sides of her neck, lightly moving her hair long hair back that had grown during their interaction to cover her breasts. With the long tresses behind her, Hades could fully appreciate her beautiful form in front of him. He didn't have much time to admire, though, before Persephone had pressed herself against his cock again, silently asking for him to enter her once more. 

He moved through the water to position her on his member before plunging back inside her walls. His mouth darted between her breasts as she tilted her head back, moaning loudly and crying his name. The gyrations between the two created a pleasant friction even with the water surrounding them, making their environment slippery as their bodies fought to stay connected. Persephone felt the warmth growing inside her as she pulsed around his throbbing cock, growing ever closer to her climax. 

She thought of all the ways she still wanted to have him and was ready to demand he continue to pleasure her all day. She raked her hands through his soft silver hair, enjoying its texture as she bounced on his dick. As her loud cries and sighs escaped her throat, she almost missed the sound of the doorbell buzzing throughout the house to alert the residents that someone was there, requesting access to their sanctuary. 

The pair ignored the second ring as well, still too lost in each other to be pulled from their love making back to the real world. 

On the third sound, though, it all became real. Hades stopped suddenly, extending. his arms behind her to catch her at the jolt of ending their ministrations. He lifted her off of his lap, swearing under his breath before kissing her forehead lightly and setting her down on the side of the hot tub. He mouthed the word "hide," as he exited, looking around for something to towel off.

And then he disappeared through the doorway, leaving a slightly stunned Persephone behind. After a moment, she shook herself from her trance and jumped up, racing to follow. 


	27. Chapter 27

Hades' heart raced as he quickly stepped back into his trousers on the way to the door. 

"Just a minute!" he called, pulling his shirt over his head. He quickly ran his hands through his hair, shaking out any excess moisture before opening the door. 

He took a deep breath, ready to face Demeter or the members of her newly formed posse but was surprised to see that none of them were the face staring back at him from the other side of the door. He stood dumb-founded for a moment. 

"Well are you going to just stand there or invite me in?" Hera asked coolly. 

Hades managed to nod and gestured for her to enter his home, quickly shutting the door behind Hera after she was inside. 

"Nothing to say, Aidoneus?" she asked, a hint of glee in her still serious tone. 

"S-sorry, I just was not expecting you," Hades said. 

"Clearly," Hera replied. "Hecate called me and told me about the whole situation with Demeter. I thought I could be of some assistance, though you don't appear to be as concerned. Seems you were just taking a dip?" 

Hades laughed awkwardly. "Well, you know, stress relief." 

"Right," Hera nodded. "I remember your penchant for, ahem, stress relief in the pool from the old days. So where is your swimming partner?" 

"P-partner?" Hades stuttered. "Don't be silly, Hera, you know it's not safe for Persephone to be here right now. She's still in the hiding place." 

"Really? Then who is the half-naked pink goddess hiding behind that door frame?" 

Hades turned swiftly to see Persephone squeal and dart back behind the wall. 

"It's okay, dear, it's just me! You can come chat with us, if you're decent," Hera called back to her. 

A blushing Persephone wrapped in a blanket she'd snagged on the way up timidly walked out the door. "Nice to see you again, Hera," she said quietly. 

Hera smiled warmly. "You as well, my dear. Why don't we all find a place to chat?" 

Hades blinked, trying to suppress the urges that were burning inside his chest, almost making him forget Hera was standing a few feet away. Remembering her presence, he blurted,"Sweetness, where are your clothes?" 

"Oh, sugar snaps, I guess I forgot them by the pool," she said sheepishly. 

"Careful, dear, that's a dead giveaway if Hades's piss poor lying doesn't get you found out first," Hera said. 

"Alright, alright, enough," Hades interjected. "What is it that you want to talk about, Hera?" 

"Might we sit, or has your momentary separation from society made you forget all semblance of manners that you've learned in the last thousand years, Aidoneus?" 

Hades cheeks darkened as Persephone stifled her giggle behind him. He mumbled an apology and led Persephone and Hera to the living room where they sat on opposing couches. After Hera chastised Hades for not offering her a drink, which she then accepted, they settled. 

"Hera it really is good to see you," Persephone said, hugging a pillow in front of her still-blanket-clad body. 

"I must say, I definitely prefer this to our last meeting. You looked so...not you," Hera frowned, taking a sip of her drink. "But congratulations are in order! I see you were able to complete your marriage with the certificate from Zeus, though I'm a bit upset you had to do so without a blessing from me. But we can talk the formal ceremony after we've all had a chance to talk to Demeter." 

Hades closed his eyes, rubbing his temple with his forefinger and thumb. "Elaborate, please." 

Hera smiled brightly. "Well isn't it obvious? Hecate told me your problems. You're tired of running and hiding so let's just come out in the open. It was always our plan from the beginning, anyway, before, well, the whole unconscious ordeal. We're going to break it down for Demeter. Full--well, almost full, just as much as she needs, really--honesty. We'll tell her Persephone has decided to break from TGOEM, that the two of you are in love, I've blessed the union, Persephone is to become the queen of the underworld, all is well!" 

Hades sighed. "That's a lovely thought, Hera, but there are things at play here that we were previously unaware of." 

Hera's smile faded. "Look, Hades, I'm not an idiot. I know there are complications and this isn't going to be welcome news. But Demeter isn't an idiot either. She's not going to stage a coup against the three kingdoms. This is making it clear that Zeus and I are not backing down from this, and you know Poseidon will stand with us. Isn't this what you wanted? A few months ago you were begging me for a strong show of allyship. Here I am." 

"Bunny, I know but it's not like it's going to be--" 

"If you could just trust me, I--" 

Persephone jumped up, a flash of red in her eyes as she interjected. "You know what, Aidoneus, why don't you and _Bunny_ continue this conversation about OUR future while I go get dressed. Maybe you can reminisce about the old days while deciding my fate with absolutely no input from me!" 

As she moved out of the room, Hera called after her,"Persephone, please, I'm just trying to--" 

Hades put up a hand to cut her off. "Mind if I go talk with her?" he asked quietly, not waiting for Hera's reply before following after Persephone. 

As he walked into the bedroom he found a teary Persephone with her back to the door, still clutching the blanket around her. 

"Kore," he said softly from the door frame, walking the put a hand on her shoulder. 

Persephone quickly wiped her tears and turned to face him with a sniff. "Go back and talk to Hera. Maybe you too could relive the good old days. Practice some of that 'stress relief' you apparently have done so much of with her." 

Hades sighed, sitting next to her. "So you heard that?" 

"Kind of hard not to," she said, twisting to face away from him. 

"Sweetness, you know that was a long time ago," Hades started. 

"Apparently not so long that you don't still have cutesy pet names. And it's the one Zeus uses, too? You do realize that's super gross, right?" Persephone said. 

"I don't disagree, and I'm sorry. But, correct me if I'm wrong, is there more than that at play here?" Hades asked cautiously. "Are you feeling stressed about your mom showing up?" 

Persephone sighed. "I just don't want you and someone else to talk about what is next in my life. You know that's every bit as obnoxious as all the other times people have tried to control me. Like, you telling me to hide? Even if it wasn't Hera, come on, babe, let me decide what I want to do." 

"You're right. I fucked up by deciding and speaking for you instead of letting you speak," Hades said. "But, love, you do have a certain proclivity for walking head first in to danger. Do you get that sometimes I just need you to trust me? I do not intend to nor do I want to try to control you. That's never been something I wanted to do. And I totally believe in your power and ability to take care of yourself. But right now, you are the one at risk here. It's okay to accept some help. Put yourself in my shoes. Would you want to let me go into the situation where multiple of my abusers were trying to forcibly take me away from you?" 

Persephone crossed her arms and scrunched her face, looking toward the wall in silence. After a moment, she fell into his arms, burying her face in her chest. "I hate it when you're right and I just want to be mad," she murmured into him. 

Hades kissed the top of her head. "I hate that we have to be having this conversation right now instead of finishing what we started by the pool." 

Persephone leaned back to glance at the bedroom door and then to Hades's face. "You could just get up and close the door, you know. I'm not dressed yet." 

Hades sighed, standing to walk toward the door. "We shouldn't..." 

The spring goddess leaned forward, letting the blanket fall away from her and reveal her chest, her eyes pleading with him to stay as she bit her lip. "Please, Aidoneus?" 

With a strangled whimper, Hades swung the door shut. He began pulling off his shirt. "We have to be quiet and fast." 

Persephone reached out and grabbed his arm after he'd stepped out of his pants, pulling him down on top of her, "I'll do my best." 

His lips crashed into hers as her petite frame was pinned between his body and the blanket she had been using as a covering, now fully splayed out on the bed beneath her. She pushed against him, bucking herself against him as she begged for his swelling cock to find entrance into her. She pulled one of his arms to her, putting his large hand on her breast and urging him to explore the rest of her with his scintillating touch. She reached down for his dick, lightly massaging his member and earning a moan from her king. 

Playfully she pushed lightly, signaling for him to roll over onto his back and allow her to mount him. He acquiesced, allowing Persephone to situate herself on top of him, her knees on either side of his thighs as she kneeled above him. He took a deep breath, marveling at her perfect body above him, noting the scent of lilac permeating the room. Soon, she aligned herself with his thickness and took him inside of her. In spite of her lover's warning to be quiet, she let out a loud moan of his name as she rolled back and forth on his dick. 

"Q-quiet," Hades grunted, raising a quick hand to her mouth while trying to stifle his own groans or pleasure. "Hera will hear you." 

She bit his hand lightly, causing him to pull back in shock and delight as she lowered herself to him, her face inches away from his. "Good." 

Her mouth found his again as she began moving faster on top of him, their bodies desperately trying to eliminate any space between the two of them. Hades bit her shoulder to stifle the moan growing inside of him as he bucked up into her, his hands on her ass to better leverage his position and push his full length inside of her. After several minutes of this, he picked up the little goddess and stood to take her to the wall. 

"You want Hera to hear?" he growled, readjusting to thrust himself into her as he steadied her against the wall. 

"Yes," she moaned. 

"Say my name," he commanded, rubbing her clit with his thumb as he held her up with only one hand, thrusting with more force and quickening his pace. 

"Hades," she shouted, feeling the juices begin to spill out of her as he continued his work. 

"You will never doubt again that you're the only one for me," Hades grunted. "Right?" 

"Y-yes baby," she cried, reaching her climax. 

"And you know that just because this time had to be quick, doesn't mean I'm not going to fully worship you later?" he groaned as he continued. 

"Fuck, yes, Aidoneus," she breathed as her convulsing walls slowed their pace, coming down from her orgasm. 

"And you know," he groaned once more, now laboring as he too approached his finish, "that I love you so much," another grunt, "Kore." 

He pulled out of her, about to finish. Kore moved to her knees and took his cock into her mouth, sucking him off for the last few thrusts that led to his undoing. In spite of his earlier warning to be quiet, he moaned her name loudly as he finished. As soon as he was done, he pulled her up to him, planting a flurry of kisses on and around her mouth and bringing her back to the bed where the two fell in satisfied exhaustion. After a few minutes more of light kisses and cuddles, Persephone rose.

"I suppose we should get back out to Hera and apologize for our uncouth behavior," she smiled back at him as she fumbled through his wardrobe, looking for something to wear. 

Hades laughed lightly. "I think she knew what to expect coming here." 

He stood and wrapped his arms around Persephone from behind, kissing her neck as she moved hangers of his suits to try to find something more casual. The light moment was interrupted by voices from outside the room. 

"WHY DEMETER, WHAT A NICE SURPRISE," Hera yelled from beyond the door. "HOW FORTUITOUS OF YOU TO BE HERE. KORE AND I HAD JUST DROPPED BY TO DISCUSS SOMETHING IMPORTANT WITH HADES." 


	28. Chapter 28

Persephone froze, staring ahead, suddenly unable to catch her breath. Hades wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. 

"It's going to be okay. Let's just get dressed," he whispered in her ear.

"I-I-I don't have any clothes here," Persephone said. "Except the ones at the pool. Oh god, my clothes are still out by the pool!" 

"It's okay," Hades said reassuringly, stepping away over to his dresser. He opened a drawer to reveal some of Persephone's belongings. "It's from when I packed a bag for you before. Remember? I've been keeping your things here so it would be ready when you could finally come home." 

Persephone fought back the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. She tried to thank him, but the words wouldn't come out. 

Hades held her once more. "Shhh, it's okay sweetness, I've got you. Everything is going to be fine. No one is taking you away from me without your express permission. I'll go ahead and go out first and tell them I was showing you to the restroom. You just take your time and come out when you're ready." 

She sunk into him, silently sobbing into his chest. "Sh-she brought Apollo with her. I can feel it. Why would she do that?" 

"We don't know what she knows," Hades said, stroking her hair lovingly. "Maybe he's got her fooled like the rest of the gods." 

"Or m-maybe she's just trying to unnerve me," Persephone hiccuped. 

"Well then she must have forgotten just who she's dealing with," Hades soothed. "And besides, you've kicked the shit out of Apollo plenty of times before. Maybe this time you can give me the pleasure?" 

Persephone laughed through her tears, taking a step back from her love as she gulped down a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm tired of pulling all the weight," she said, wiping her eyes. 

Hades kissed her forehead and smiled softly. "Thank you, love. Is it okay if I go? I'll stay longer if you need me. Hera can entertain them for a while longer, I'm sure." 

"N-no you go ahead. I'll be out in a minute." 

Hades nodded and grabbed some clothes from his wardrobe, quickly stepping into them. He gave Persephone one more long kiss before stepping away. "It'll be over before you know it," he said. 

Persephone nodded and let him go. As soon as the door swung shut behind him, she leaned against it and stifled a returning sob. 

______________________________________

Hades walked out to find the three other gods positioned with plenty of distance between them in his entryway. Demeter scoffed as he approached, looking away from the king of the underworld. 

"Demeter, please, won't you come in. Can I offer you anything?" Hades said, fake smile plastered across his face. "And I see you brought a guest," he added through gritted teeth. "Apollo." 

"Grandpa Winter," Apollo sneered. 

"We don't plan to stay long," Demeter said, refusing to budge. "We're just here to collect my daughter and then we'll be on our way. Thank you for at least not making us go through the charade of pretending you don't have her." 

"Persephone came here with me, Demeter," Hera interjected. "It's just coincidence that we happen to be here at the same time." 

"Mhmmm," Demeter said. "Well in any case, we'll be going. KORE?!" 

"She's just using the restroom. She'll be joining us shortly," Hades said. "Please, come to the table. Let's have a drink together. I just got some figs I brought back from your realm during my sabbatical, I think you'll find them quite delicious to pair with the '54 Port I have." 

Demeter sighed. "Fine. Five minutes." 

Hades led the others to his kitchen table, he and Hera taking a seat on one side and Demeter and Apollo sitting on the other. After Hades poured the drinks, they sat in a still silence that Hera was the first to break. 

"Demeter, as I was saying when you first arrived, it's quite a happy coincidence that you happened to show up at the same moment Kore and I were visiting," Hera said cautiously. "While we were in my spa, she and I worked to get to the bottom of that mysterious illness she was experiencing, and well, as she opened up to me more, I realized that she was experiencing heart sickness." 

Demeter snorted. "Heart sickness? Hera, you're joking." 

Hera shook her head. "Please let me finish. You know that for beings such as ourselves, there are sometimes forces at play that we don't always understand. I wish Hecate was here; she explains it better than I ever could. But what we realized is that there's a...a tether of sorts between Persephone and Hades. Once they met, it made it impossible for them to be separated without feeling some side effects." 

"What you're describing sounds like a soul bond, Hera," Demeter said harshly. "And I know how those are formed. Are you being that candid in sharing that Hades stole my daughter's virtue?" 

"Fates, Demeter, no," Hades sighed in exasperation. "That's not true. And even if it were, give your daughter some more agency than one who passively has their 'virtue' stolen, whatever that means." 

"I'm sorry to have implied that," Hera said hastily. "What I'm trying to get at is that, well, during our retreat, Persephone shared her deep and abiding feelings for Hades with me, and I came here today to discuss giving my blessing to their union." 

"HA!" Demeter laughed coldly. "No, that will not be happening. But thank you for that laugh. I needed that." 

"Demeter, you don't get to decide that," Hera retorted. "It's up to Hades and Persephone. My telling you now was really just a courtesy--" 

"I get to decide what happens with MY daughter Hera," Demeter said, motioning for Apollo to stand. "And she will come with us today by whatever means necessary. I won't tell you again." 

"For fuck's sake, Demeter, is that why you brought Apollo with you? For muscle?" Hera demanded. "Don't you realize he assaulted your daughter?" 

"Funny, judging by your choice of husbands, I didn't think assault was a deal breaker for you," Demeter said, looking through her. 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Hera asked. 

"You know exactly what it means," Demeter replied. 

"And besides, I don't know what the old man here has told you, but I didn't do anything!" Apollo said, finally joining the conversation. "He's the one who took advantage of Persie. I already told Demeter all about it, so you can quit your lying." 

"She's not lying," a voice said from the doorway. All turned to see Persephone standing there, a look of resolve etched on her face. "You raped me, Apollo. And she knows it. Mother, why would you bring him here?" 

Demeter rushed to Persephone's side, a softness coming to her face. "Kore, I'm so relieved to see you. I've been worried sick. Come on, let me take you home." 

She tried to put her arm around Persephone, but the goddess of spring resisted, shrugging away her mother's touch. 

"I asked you a question," Persephone said through gritted teeth, a glint of red flashing in her eyes. "Why did you bring him here?" 

"I just needed some insurance to get you away from Hades," Demeter said quietly. "You're not thinking clearly, Kore. I needed someone who wouldn't be brainwashed by the their loyalty to his crown. It's nothing more." 

"It's a direct threat to me," Persephone said. "Bringing him here is an act of war." 

Demeter huffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh please don't be so dramatic. You want me to get rid of him? Fine. He's outlasted his usefulness anyway." 

"Outlasted my useful--" Apollo's question was cut off by a sharpened vine sent his way by Demeter, wrapping around his mouth to silence him. Soon, another vine flew toward him, this time piercing his skin. Another flew, cutting through his torso and drawing a stifled scream from the god. 

Apollo managed to wiggle his mouth free of its cover. "Demeter, what the fuck?" he said through labored breath before falling to the ground as Hera and Hades stood on in disbelief. 

Demeter ignored him. "See? All's well that ends well. No need for you to get all worked up. We're going home." 

Persephone's eyes glowed red. "I'm going nowhere with you." 

Dark vines began to twist their way from her body, which was now begin to hover off the ground. A gentle wind built behind her, knocking a photo from a nearby end table to the floor. 

Hades turned to Hera and whispered urgently. "Take Apollo and get out of here now. Go to Hecate and have her evacuate the surrounding area." 

"Hades, what is going on?" Hera asked, her eyes growing wide as she watched Persphone's anger grow. 

"We can talk about it later, but please, just go," he urged. "I'll take care of Persephone."

"But --" 

"Go! Now! We don't have much time." 

Hera nodded and helped Apollo to his feet with his arm around her shoulder before fizzing away. Hades rushed over to Persephone and angled himself between her and Demeter. 

"Persephone, love, it's me. It's Hades," he said, his arms outstretched to her. "I know this is stressful. Let me help you." 

The wind around her was picking up, tossing more of his belongings into the air and sending them crashing into the walls. A thicket of vines blew wildly around her as a red glow encompassed her entire being. 

"Stand aside, god of the dead," she said, a cruel smile coming to her face. "I need to have a chat with mommy dearest." 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: abuse, implied sexual assault

Persephone's hair whipped violently around her, growing alongside the vines that snaked out from her being. Her eyes glowed red as she issued another warning. 

"I won't tell you again, Aidoneus," she bellowed. "Stand aside. This isn't your fight." 

"Well, Demeter kinda stole my thunder with Apollo," Hades said softly. "Come on, Persephone, come back to me. Anything that is your fight is mine as well." 

"If you will not move out of my way, I'll do it for you." Persephone wrapped two vines around his torso, pinning his arms to his sides. She lifted him, still showing restraint as she moved him, conscious to not toss him into the wall. She blinked away the red in her eyes for long enough to murmur, "I don't want to hurt you." 

"I know, baby, you don't want to hurt anyone," he said lightly. 

Demeter, who had previously been frozen silently in place, let out an exasperated sigh. "Good fucking gods, Hades, you can't reason with her in this state. If she destroys part of your kingdom, just know you brought it on yourself." 

The red glow returned as Persephone focused her attentions back to Demeter. "There she is, mother of the year," Persephone hissed, sending another set of vines toward her mother, using them to ensnare her and lift her into the air. 

"Kore, put me down this instant. You know, two can play this game," Demeter replied, sending a thorny tendril of her own toward Persephone's face.

The goddess of spring easily deflected the attack, snapping her mother's ammunition in half like a brittle twig. She laughed. "I've told you before, it's Persephone. And you know that I'm more powerful than you. It's why you're afraid of me. Why you've tried to control me. Why brought the being," she slammed Demeter against the ground, "who assaulted me," she lifted her mother again, this time sending her careening toward the nearest wall, "to kidnap me." 

Persephone pulled Demeter toward her, a sneer of delight curling across her mouth as she saw a drop of golden ichor fall from her mother's temple. "And now you will pay for that tenfold." 

Still defiant, Demeter tried to wriggle free to no avail. She huffed. "And what do you think you'll do to me? You can't kill me." 

"No," she said, "but I can make you wish you were dead." 

With each syllable, the wind around her became more powerful, slowly causing the house around them to fly apart and crumble. A wind-whipped Hades, still wrapped in a forgotten tangle of vines, called out to his wife again trying to connect with her. 

"Come on, Persephone, you know you don't want to do this," he shouted to her. "Returning her cruelty won't make you feel better." 

Demeter laughed callously. "My cruelty? Aidoneus, you ignorant fool, you still don't even know what she is. What she is the product of. You can't reason with pure rage. You can only try to survive i--" She choked on the last syllable as Persephone tightened her grip, moving her hold around Demeter's neck. 

"I think it's time for you to stop talking," Persephone snarled. "That was a neat trick you did wounding Apollo earlier. Perhaps I can apply the same principle to your vocal cords?" 

"Fine," Demeter spat in a hoarse whisper. "I guess you don't want to know the truth about what you are. Even after all your incessant questioning about your father." 

"You told me I didn't have a father," Persephone said through gritted teeth. 

"And I didn't lie," Demeter coughed. "But there is another being who helped bring you into existence. Don't you want to know who they were?" 

As the pair argued, Persephone's attention to Hades dwindled, and her grasp on him released. Carefully, he extricated himself from the vines, able to fully embrace his own power as he was freed. He took a breath and closed his eyes, reopening them now glowing white. His scars lit up across his body, a glowing constellation under his clothing. He flew to Persephone, distracting her for the briefest moment as his show of power matched her own. 

"You're exquisite," she breathed in awe. 

"This needs to end, Persephone, one way or another," he stated.

She scoffed. "Are you threatening me, god of the dead? I thought you were supposed to be my loving husband." 

Hades shook his head. "I'm here only to serve you. I just needed to get your attention. I'll drown the bitch myself, if I have to. I told you before, burning sensation in the lungs, it's a real pain." 

"Fuck you, Hades," Demeter yelled, trying to break free. 

Persephone smiled. "You surprise me again." The roar of the wind died down as Persephone allowed herself to return to the ground, Hades following suit. 

As their feet touched the ground, Hades pulled her into himself, earning a gasp of surprise from the goddess of spring as the white glow of his body flowed through her, making her feel electrified with his power joining her own. The bright light emitted from the two beings took over, a reflection of their very essences joining together as one. Demeter tried to look on, but was blinded by the luminescence. The light extended over the entire Underworld like a shot, encapsulating the realm in a flash of brilliance that held for an elongated moment before fading. 

As the brightness dimmed, Persephone's vines vanished, dropping Demeter to the ground. She slowly broke away from Hades's embrace, her color returning to her normal pink. She kissed his cheek. 

"Thank you for always bringing me back, Aidoneus," she whispered to him. She took a look around at their decimated surroundings and flushed. "I'm so sorry about the house." 

Hades shrugged. "That's okay, we'll get a new one. I think there's another matter we need to attend to at this moment." 

The two turned to look at a weakened Demeter, struggling to stand. Hades looked to Persephone, who gave him a nod, prompting him to help Demeter to stand. 

"You got lucky," Demeter said through labored breath. "You won't always have me to distract her." 

Persephone laughed. "Hopefully I won't always have you as a trigger." 

"Fine. Is this what you want? To play house until you lay waste to it? Incur the wrath of other beings for your negligence?" Demeter questioned. "I'll leave. But if I go now, know that you will never have my support again. And as for you Hades," she shrugged his help away, "you will learn the true meaning of hell for stealing my daughter." 

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be so dramatic," she said, imitating her mother's words from earlier. "Besides, it's not time for you to leave just yet. I know you were just trying to distract me, but you're going to tell me that truth that you so kindly brought up. Who is my other parent?" 

"I'll discuss it with you, but not here. Come back to the mortal realm with me if you want to know," Demeter said. 

Hades and Persephone exchanged glances. 

"Oh for fuck's sake, Hades can come to. I just need to know we're somewhere others are not listening. We're a little too exposed here now for my liking. And I know she won't come back to our land." 

"She? Who are you talking about?" 

Demeter looked around carefully. "Your mother."

The goddess of agriculture fizzed away before Persephone or Hades could respond.

________________________________________

It didn't take long for Hades and Persephone to follow, now standing in a private chamber of Demeter's home. 

"Um, what the fuck was that?" Persephone demanded. "Do you mean to tell me you aren't my mother?" 

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I'm your mother," Demeter scoffed. "You just happen to have two mothers." 

"Elaborate," Persephone demanded. 

"Women can love other women, don't be so closed minded dear," Demeter demurred. 

"You know that's not what I meant. I mean...biologically. How did all this work?" Persephone asked. "You're the one who taught me the mechanics of reproduction. I thought that you needed certain...anatomy...to procreate." 

Demeter sighed. "I suppose I should stop obfuscating and get on with it. Right. So, you recall when you were young I told you how badly I wanted a child, and that you were my little miracle?" 

"Uh-huh..." Persephone replied cautiously. 

"Well, turns out miracles take work. For my entire life, I knew that I had...very little interest in men, but I desperately wanted a child. So, I looked for other means of creation. I tried all sorts of magic, any sort of fertility treatments I could find, but none of it worked. I was feeling hopeless. So hopeless, that I did something very stupid. I had heard that Zeus kept many wonders hidden in his old palace vault--one particular holding the secret to existence. I thought I could sneak in during the night, see if the rumors were true, and slip out undetected." 

"Mama, you didn't." 

"Turns out, it was nothing but a stupid story that I naively believed. Unfortunately for me, I was caught trespassing, and Zeus was not too happy about it. He demanded to know my true purpose for being there. He suspected I was trying to overthrow him. I told him the truth about what I was searching for. He threatened to imprison me in that vault for defying his orders, but he said he took pity on me. He offered to show me how life was created and, well, I believe you're familiar with the traditional way." 

Persephone gasped. "Oh no," she murmured. 

Hades reached out to Demeter. "Demeter, I knew you weren't fond of him, but I--I didn't know." 

Demeter shrugged his attempted comfort away. "Nonsense, it was--it was what I had wanted, after all. A child. I had been fighting the natural order, it seemed. After Zeus let me go, I entertained him a few more times in an attempt to sire a child. But it didn't work. Zeus and I had a bit of a falling out, and I decided to get a fresh start in the mortal realm. But even as I tried to move on, I so desperately wanted to be a mother. I decided to go to the Underworld with the intention of meeting with Hecate and seeing if there was anything she could do to help me, and that's when I met her instead." 

"Who, Mama?" 

"Her name is Lyssa," Demeter said calmly. "She's your other mother." 

____________________________________

"Lyssa?" Hades asked incredulously. "You enlisted the help of Lyssa?" 

"Who is Lyssa?" Persephone asked. 

Demeter sighed. "Lyssa is a primordial spirit, dear. She's been around for a long, long time. Longer than Hades or I, to be certain." 

"She's the spirit of rage and madness," Hades offered. "Insanity is her dominion. She comes from the Underworld, though she's very hard to find. Demeter, how did you connect with her?" 

"The how isn't important," Demeter snapped. "The point is, we met, and she took a liking to me. Her own birth was...unconventional. And she offered to help me. Together, we tried many ancient rituals. She's who taught me of soul bonds and all the old world magic that we've forgotten in our march toward progress. And through all of our work together, we grew close and I--" Demeter looked down. "I fell in love." 

"WHAT?" Persephone yelled. "Mama, how could you keep this to yourself?" 

"Clearly it didn't work out," Demeter said, a rush of annoyance coming to her voice. "So I didn't find it relevant." 

"So you and Lyssa then discovered a magic to conceive Persephone?" Hades asked. "That's what you mean by saying she's her other mother?" 

"If you would both stop interrupting, I could tell you what I mean," Demeter replied. "No, the magic did not work, as hard as we tried. But Lyssa had another idea. You see, as a spirit, she has other talents that beings such as ourselves do not possess. Hades, maybe you're familiar? I know Hera is." 

"Are you saying...?" 

Demeter nodded. "Possession. When she pitched it to me I wasn't sure, but I trusted her so completely. She found a mortal man and I guess that fertility magic we were practicing finally had some benefit and we made you. But in that act, a portion of her, her madness, her rage--it was passed on to you." 

"This is...this is wild," Persephone said, turning away and bringing her hands to her temple. "So you mean to say that you met a spirit in the underworld who took over the body of a mortal man that said spirit used as a surrogate sperm donor to create me? And you hid this from me why? Why wasn't she around when I was growing up?" 

"Must we continue? This isn't so fun for me to revisit, and you've got your answer," Demeter sighed. 

"We must!" Persephone turned back to her. "You can't just drop a bomb like this and not finish the story. Where did she go?" 

"She stayed with me, for a while," Demeter said. "She was with me throughout the pregnancy, and at your birth. I thought," her voice caught in her throat. "I thought maybe we could be a family. But it didn't seem that was in the cards for us."

Demeter paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. With a deep breath, she continued. "She'd let the mortal surrogate go back to his life after his service, but it seemed that the effects of her possession were still lingering. He went insane. He had a family of his own that he murdered in cold blood. Then he came here--still feeling the tether to Lyssa. It was like a siren call to him. He came here and caused some damage. Burned some crops. Attacked some nymphs. He tried to take you. Of course, he was a mortal and no match for us. We disposed of him rather quickly. But the guilt--it ate at her. We fought, words were exchanged, and she left. I haven't seen her since. I tried to find her a few times. I even thought of enlisting your help, Hades, but I--well, I could never come to phrase the request properly." 

"Is that what your request for shade labor to help during the harvest was about?" He asked. 

"No matter. What's done is done. You got your answer. We're done." Demeter said. "You may go." 

"But mama, if you were looking for her, why didn't you want her to hear us talking in the Underworld? What if she came back?" Persephone asked. 

"I said you may go," Demeter said. 

Persephone nodded and walked out the door to the chambers. Hades began to follow, but hesitated. He turned back to Demeter. 

"I swear to you, I didn't know any of this," he said. "I'm so sorry for what you've endured. I hope that now that this is out in the open, maybe you and I can start fresh. I do love your daughter, Demeter. More than I ever dreamed possible. I promise I'll do everything I can to ensure her safety." 

Demeter laughed coldly. "You think this is done? Hades, please. There will be no fresh start. You may have won the battle today, but this war -- as my daughter so aptly coined it -- is just getting started." 


	30. Chapter 30

Hades left the chamber, rubbing a hand through his hair as he thought about Demeter's decree. Before he could get too lost in thought, though, he felt the light touch of Persephone's fingertips on his forearm. 

"Come, let's go enjoy the scenery before we return home," she said quietly. "I have the perfect spot." 

Hades nodded and allowed her to lead him outside through Demeter's fields until they paused in a sprawling meadow dotted with lillies of the valley. Gently, Persephone pulled Hades to the ground with her and the two lay side by side, their fingers interlocked as they gazed up at the clear blue sky. Persephone closed her eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the flowers around her. 

"I can't say I miss living here, but I do miss this," she said. "It's even better with you here." 

Hades looked at her and smiled. "The view is quite lovely." 

After a moment of silence, Persephone opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows to look over at her lover. "Spill. What's wrong, Aidoneus?" 

He looked away from her. "It's nothing. Just something your mother said as I was leaving." 

Persephone rolled her eyes. "She's a sore loser. She was probably just licking her wounds and trying to get one last dig in. What was it." 

Hades turned to her and smiled softly. He stretched up to kiss her lips lightly. "Nothing important. I do wonder, though, seeing you here--if it's, well, if it's where you belong." 

Persephone crinkled her nose. "Is that what this is about? I _belong_ with you. And don't get me wrong, it's lovely here and I could spend hours enjoying the natural splendor, but this isn't my home anymore. You are." 

Hades sat up to take her into his arms and kiss her again, this time more deeply. His hand slid up her back to her hair, taking a fistful of her locks in its grasp as he kissed her deeper. He began to trail his kisses down her neck where he suckled lightly, expecting a pleased sigh from the goddess. When he wasn't greeted with the sounds of her pleasure as affirmation of his success, he paused and pulled away. 

"Seems you might be the troubled one, goddess," he said, lightly tucking her hair behind her ear before asking a question he already knew the answer to. "What's on your mind?" 

"My mother seemed worried that my--Lyssa would come find us in the Underworld, but if she knew I was there, why wouldn't she have come to find me already?" Persephone wondered aloud. "If she is my, my other parent, wouldn't she be curious? Doesn't she want to know me?" 

"Maybe she didn't know and Demeter is just paranoid," Hades supplied. "Or maybe she was just honoring Demeter's wishes." 

"But why?" Persephone sighed. 

"I don't think we got the full story, but it sounds like things ended on a rather--complicated note," Hades replied. "Perhaps she just felt it best to stay away." 

"Hmm," Persephone grunted in response. She lay back down on the ground, staring up at the sky as she was lost in thought. 

Hades lay back next to her and took her hand once more, giving it a squeeze. 

"I'm going to find her," Persephone resolved. "I'm going to learn more about who I am. Maybe she can help me learn to control this--whatever it is--inside of me." 

"I wouldn't have expected anything less," Hades said softly before sitting up. "Shall we return to the Underworld then?" 

Persephone smiled back at him. "Yes. Let's go home." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello you beautiful readers! 
> 
> Thank you for supporting me through this series. I love reading your comments. This is the end of the second installment of the "I Don't Want to Live Forever" (forgive me for it being a bit short!) 
> 
> There is more to be explored in the third book of the series, which will be titled "Eyes Wide Open," and I'll start soon! I hope you're on board for the liberties I'm taking with some mythology here as we explore the beauty and devastation of nature personified in Persephone!


	31. Chapter 31

The story continues!

[ **Eyes Wide Open**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27181196) (1774 words) by [**lovelyriots**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyriots)  
Chapters: 1/1  
Fandom: [Lore Olympus (Webcomic)](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Lore%20Olympus%20\(Webcomic\))  
Rating: Explicit  
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con  
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)  
Characters: Hades (Lore Olympus), Persephone (Lore Olympus), Zeus (Lore Olympus), Hera (Lore Olympus), Eros (Lore Olympus), Hecate (Lore Olympus), Demeter (Lore Olympus), Lyssa (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)  
Additional Tags: Rumors, myth, power, Control, Power Dynamics, Separations, Hiding, Family Issues, Eventual Smut, Love, Angst, Fluff and Angst  
Series: Part 3 of [I Don't Want to Live Forever](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570855)  
Summary:

Hades and Persephone return to the Underworld, intent on pursuing their future together, openly as king and queen, while Persephone grapples with the reveal of her true parentage as well as trying to gain control of her untamed power. When they arrive home, however, they must first deal with the aftermath of Persephone and Demeter's showdown, a petulant king of the gods, and a smear campaign orchestrated by Demeter that threatens to pull them apart before they even have a chance to explore their relationship as husband and wife.

This is part three in the "I Don't Want to Live Forever" series.


End file.
